Shadows of the Shepherds
by Naryfiel Lilith
Summary: Kestrel and Robin have been on the run for all their lives, avoiding the Grimleal who seek the world's end, for that is what destiny wills. When Robin loses his memories, however, the two find themselves fighting for their lives alongside the Shepherds of Ylisse, and as they linger at the side of Prince Chrom, they wonder if destiny can truly change, and not just be outran.
1. Prologue) Verge of History

Prologue) The Verge of History

* * *

 _The continent is no stranger to dangers. Two thousand years ago, you had the story of the Hero-King, both the War of Shadows and the War of Heroes. One thousand years ago, you had the First Exalt, and his sealing of the Fell Dragon, Grima. Both times, two objects featured heavily: the Falchion and the Fire Emblem. These are the sacred treasures of the Halidom of Ylisse._

 _That isn't to say that Ylisse is all happiness and sunshine, though it certainly tries to live up to that reputations in modern times. Many years ago, Ylisse launched a brutal on Plegia, its neighbor, seeking to 'purge the world' of the Grimleal, worshipers of Grima. As if the constant war would make them change their ways. When you declare and persecute a people for something they barely have any choice in, all you do is force them to break and become that evil. Plegia is now a country of psychopaths and monsters, because all the good-hearted people were killed, twisted, or escaped to avoid the war._

 _This isn't helped, of course, by the perceived lack of care from the Ylisseans following their sudden declaration that the war was over. Exalt Emmeryn, who inherited at age nine, had focused her efforts on repairing her own home, and sadly neglected foreign relations until it was far too late. The Mad-King Gangrel, once a thief who lived in the slums, refuses to believe Ylisse had actually changed, and maintained its 'Holier than Thou' mentality, a belief shared by most of the populace, especially those who turned to the Grimleal for sanctuary, since the Churches of Naga threw them out for simply being Plegian._

 _None of this matters to me, though, except as a reason for why I'm even alive. My very existence threatens the world, and many times, I thought to take my own life to try and save it. I only don't because then I'd condemn another child to my fate. I couldn't bear that, so I simply run, alongside my twin brother, with the two of us trying desperately to never be caught by the Grimleal. Always fearing… that we'd slip up, and doom the world because of it._

* * *

I told him to wait in the field while I went hunting. I had to check the backtrail, make sure we weren't being followed. I knew I had told him that. Yet, what was the first thing he did? He left, likely to go assist the nearby burning town because he had a fatal case of chronic hero syndrome.

I growled under my breath as I ran towards the town, narrowing my eyes as the smoke stung my eyes and the smell of blood and death bombarded me. I was used to both, so I jumped over corpses and twisted to avoid puddles. People screeched around me, sobbing over the dead, panicking over the sudden assault. But it was not a brutal one. This was instigated by some weaker bandits, by my eye, those with far more balls than brains. Most of the damage was showy, meant to terrify, but unable to really do damage. They might lose their homes, but they'd keep their lives. It was a simple trade, really, though I doubted they'd agree until the fear had removed its claws from their hearts.

A particularly loud shriek caught my ear, and I whirled towards it, wondering what the hell was going on. I ended up lunging when I realized part of a building had collapsed, and the burning beams were falling straight onto a young girl with pigtails and an even younger child. I gathered them both in my arms and grunted as the beam hit my back. Some splintered and ash fell by my face, but I was otherwise unharmed, so I paid it little mind,

"Oh my gosh, are you okay?!" The pigtailed girl, however, made much more of a fuss. "Ah, here, let me heal you!" she insisted, already bringing up her staff. I tried, _tried_ , to figure out why she was wearing buttons, but since the rest of her outfit was subtly 'rich', I figured it was just a weird noblewoman thing. The strange hoop skirt more or less confirmed it. Only a noble would wear something so ridiculous. "And a one and a two…"

"You should be worried more about your own back," I scolded, standing before she could complete the healing spell. I drew my sword when I saw some bandits charging for us. "You continue doing what you were doing, Buttons."

"Um… yes!" She blinked slowly, like she had no idea what was going on. I wondered if she was just a local noble girl who ran to help the 'poor little people' without any idea of how to make sure she didn't become a victim. "A-ah! Above!"

"Oh, aren't they clever?" I twisted and brought my sword up, using it to deflect the axe and send it and its wielder to the side to off-balance him. As he stumbled to a landed, I struck twice, doing my best to hit the same spot twice: his neck. It took a third to fully decapitate him, and I spun to kick the head at some of the approaching attackers. It hit one, a mage, in the face and made him _shriek_ , losing control of his spell and killing some of his own people.

"Um… to your-!"

"Buttons, you need to focus on your own job, not give commentary." I jumped and flipped over one of the approaching bandits, letting him strike down his own comrade before running him through. "Okay?" I turned to face her and waited until she nodded slowly. "Now, please tell me you're not out here alone."

"Oh, no, my brother is… somewhere around here." She shrugged and trotted over to my side. The child she had been with was safely escorted away by another villager. "So is Frederick and some weird guy wearing a jacket like yours."

"I see." I barely checked the urge to sigh. Robin really _was_ here then. I swore his tendency to help people was going to get me killed one of these days. "Well, let's get you to them."

"Okay." She moved a little closer, frowning slightly. "Are you sure you don't need a healing?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Wow!" Her eyes sparkled. "You're super cool and skilled. You dealt with the bandits so easily!"

"These bandits are half-trained, at best, meaning they're easy to see through." It would've been better if they were untrained, since that would make them absolutely unpredictable. Half-trained just meant they had enough skill to be predictable and not enough skill to properly defend themselves. "I've also got some experience fighting bandits."

"Ooooohhhhh…" She stuck to my side like a very inconvenient burr as we walked through the burning town. I noticed other bandit corpses floating in the water, some of which were definitely killed by a thunder tome. Robin had been through here. "I love your hair, by the way. It's a super pretty color." It was red, a color not uncommon among Plegians. "Oh, there they are!" Buttons waved suddenly as we came upon three men cutting down a bandit whose slightly better weapon, clothing, and jewelry hinted he'd been the leader. "Everyone okay?"

"Lissa, there you are," one of them called. I automatically dubbed him 'Blue', since that was the most predominant color in his look, from his hair to his clothes. "We're fine. What about you?"

"I'm fine, Chrom," Buttons answered. She gestured dramatically to me. "Since Frederick was busy protecting your butt, I found another knight in shining armor!" She looked so gleeful that I decided to bite back my retort; I was purposely wearing light leather armor that didn't shine, even forgoing the shielded rerebrace many mercenaries wore, opting for long armored gloves instead. "She's awesome!"

"It seems both Frederick and I owe you, then, miss." Blue smiled warmly. "I'm sure protecting my delicate sister was a handful."

"I am _not_ delicate!" She sulked and stomped her foot. "Hmph! Stupid Chrom!"

"I suppose we do need to thank her, my lord, but we do have another problem," the older of the trio said. The armor was the standard Great Knight armor of Ylisse, a slightly slimmer and less bulk version favored by other countries, and was very shiny, so I just went with 'Shiny' for him. "The one from before."

"Oh, come on, Frederick, isn't he fine?" Buttons laughed. She turned to the third person, and I relaxed slightly when I realized it _was_ Robin. It couldn't be anyone else, with that shade of white hair, and the coat. "Whatever. Holy wow! Swords, magic, _and_ tactics! Is there anything you can't do?"

"Apparently remember an explanation that satisfies your companion," Robin laughed. I frowned slightly when I heard it. He'd never been one to just laugh or joke, especially around strangers. Everything had been too hard on him, even worse than me. It was a full time job to keep him from brooding. "I have failed to do that."

"Oh, Fred's always like that. Just ignore him."

"What do you mean 'remember'?" I finally asked. All eyes turned to me. "Robin, what the hell are you going on about?"

"I'm… huh?" Robin replied. He blinked slowly, tilting his head curiously. I felt myself grown ill as he looked more and more confused. "Is… Robin my name?"

"Yes, it has been for the past eighteen and some months." I glared as I noticed the pity Blue boy and Buttons were giving me. "Robin-"

"I'm sorry." He shook his head. "I don't… remember. Anything, really."

The words hit me like ice water. "What do you mean…?" I shook my head. "Gods, I haven't even been gone a damn hour…" Had one of them caught him during that time? Had they tried to break him again? I hadn't seen bodies, but… "You seriously…?"

"I'm sorry." He shook his head again. "I was in the field. They found me." He gestured to the other three. Shiny's eyes were narrowed in suspicion; Blue and Buttons still looked at me with pity. I wanted to punch them all. "I'm-"

"Stop apologizing." Apologies were nothing more than empty words said to soothe one's own conscience. Apologies were nothing more than a way to prove supposed moral superiority. They were nothing. "Just… stop." If he'd forgotten even his name, then did he forget our promise too? That was likely. What would I do, when it came to fulfill it, then? I had no idea.

"But…" He looked so lost for a second before his eyes lit up. "Um... "

"Yes?"

"Is your name 'Kestrel'?" He smiled so sweetly, far too sweetly in my eyes. The last time he'd smiled sweetly, we'd been six and Mom had still been alive. "I remembered that name, you see. I knew it wasn't mine, but I couldn't…" He didn't finish the statement, his smile faltering as he slowly realized that completing it might not be the best of ideas.

"Your habit of putting your foot in your mouth hasn't changed." I made myself smile at him, even though I just wanted to break down and cry. But crying was a waste of water, and there were a lot of 'wants' I'd given up over the past fifteen years. "But yes, I'm Kestrel. I'm your twin sister."

And here I'd thought the gods couldn't kick us in the teeth more.

* * *

The villagers insisted on us having some tea. I thought they wanted us to be nearby just in case more bandits came, but they made a very nice apple cider, and they were giving it to us for free, so I didn't care. Free was nice.

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to answer a few questions." However, sitting down to drink left me open for Shiny's interrogation, but I didn't care. No matter how much he glared, he wasn't scary. Knights like him were never scary; they cared too much about honor and chivalry. "There are many unanswered questions," he continued, smiling politely. I rolled my eyes and continued sipping my drink. "And you seem to be the only one with any sort of answers."

"Frederick, is this really necessary?" Blue sighed. He sat loosely, perfectly relaxed, and he smiled often to the villagers as they passed by. They'd been asking questions of him for the past few hours, but he answered their questions as much as he could, easily admitting when he didn't know anything. "The poor girl just got a huge shock."

"I think she is the type to dislike pity, my lord." Shiny continued smiling, but he did sigh when Button started sulking. "It is only a few. I promise."

"But…"

"Let him ask," I interrupted, annoyed. I didn't need a protector. I never had, and I doubted I ever would. "It'll be good for Robin anyway."

"Only if you do not mind," Robin instantly replied. He had a stupid grin on his face at the apple cider, likely because he didn't remember the taste. "I don't want you to force yourself, sister."

"It's fine." Nothing could be more painful than the clunky way he said the word 'sister', after all. "So?"

"I suppose I wish to start with the obvious," Shiny began. His smile fell for a more serious, stoic look, and I noted with amusement that he sat with absolute proper posture, unlike his lord and lady. Then again, I tried to figure out how Buttons was able to sit with the metal cage around her legs. "Why was he in the middle of a field?"

"Robin was _supposed_ to be making a lunch camp while I hunted," I answered. It was technically true. I just… hadn't exactly been hunting game. We'd planned on just munching on some two-day-old bread we had in our packs. "Clearly, he failed. Miserably."

"I see." He paused, eyes narrowed slightly. "What were you all doing around here?"

"Walking. Traveling. You typically will wander through a few stray meadows when you walk."

"Where were you heading, then?"

"Nowhere."

"...Nowhere?"

"Yes." I sipped my drink again, easily ignoring Shiny's frown. Blue and Buttons both seemed distinctly amused, but I didn't care about that either.

However, Robin tapped my arm to catch my attention, and leaned down slightly to look right at me. "What do you mean by 'nowhere'?" he asked. He looked completely confused. "Were we really not going anywhere?"

"No, we weren't," I answered. I really didn't want to say more, but I supposed he did have a right to know. "We're travelers, and we don't have a home."

"Really?" His eyes were wide. "Why?"

"Well…" My mouth dried as I tried to think of how to explain. I couldn't mention the Grimleal or Grima. The Ylisseans would skewer us instantly if they knew. But I also didn't want to lie to Robin. "Our father… was cruel. So, when we were little, our mom took us and ran. She used the Plegian-Ylissean war as a cover, pretending to be a refugee." I tried not to roll my eyes when Blue, Buttons, and Shiny all winced. Ylisseans were all the same. Mention the war, and they hide. "But he hunted for us, so we didn't stay in one place for long. We kept traveling out of habit, and a lack of funds."

"And where _is_ our mother?"

"She died from illness…" I trailed off as I tried to remember how long it had been. "Damn, I guess it's been around ten years now."

"Oh." His expression blanked. "Wait, how old are we?"

"Eighteen as of a few months ago."

"And you said ten years."

"Yep."

"We've been traveling, on our own, without any supervision or anything… for ten years?"

"It's not that unusual, given the war." I went back to drinking my cider as Robin tried to process the whole 'we had been on our own since we were eight' thing. "Any other questions, or can we leave it there for the day?"

"Yes, of course," Blue instantly reassured, cutting off Shiny. He even gave Shiny a look to emphasize the point. "Though, I do want to clarify. You have no home?"

"No, we don't," I sighed. I didn't see why that was so hard to understand, and genuinely wondered if he'd been dropped on his head as a baby. "Why?"

"I was wondering if you would like to come with us, actually." Blue gave Shiny another look as he made to protest, but Buttons squeaked and bounced in her seat, clearly delighted by the idea. "I lead a group known as the Shepherds, a militia made up of volunteers who help the populace deal with bandits, since Ylisse's military is very small."

"That's one way to put it. Ylisse's only advantage in military combat is the pegasus knights, but even that is combated by the wyvern knights of Plegia."

"And we're in the middle of an awkward staring match in the air at the moment, so they really can't mobilize to deal with bandits. Hence, my friends, who went along with my crazy idea because they're wonderful people." He smiled slightly, an unconscious smile. He loved his friends dearly. "We take willing volunteers, and I never force anyone to fight a battle they do not wish. It's a very informal thing, really."

"So, you just offer recruitment to any random stranger?"

"Well, no, they have to be someone that I have seen to have combat ability, or a willingness to _learn_ how to fight, and they have to be someone I think can be trusted." He shrugged. "You fought to save Ylissean lives. My heart says that is enough."

"And your mind, my lord?" Shiny protested. "Will you not heed its counsel?"

"My mind reminds me that you were just fretting the other day about how we didn't have a devoted tactician," Blue instantly retorted. He smirked as Shiny grimaced. "We have bandits and… antagonistic neighbors looking to bloody our soil. Someone with Robin's talents could greatly help us." He shrugged, smirk falling. "Besides, I believe his story, strange as it sounds. Something about him makes me think he's a lousy liar."

"He _is_ ," I groaned. That was why whenever we had to lie, I was the one who did it. Now, when we had to _charm_ someone, he took over. He was the charismatic type. "Assuming he'll still do it, the most common one you'll hear is 'I am fine'. Never believe it."

"I'm right, then." He smiled again. "And you, miss, are clearly a skilled swordfighter, and you protected my sister. I can think of no better reason to trust you."

"That…"

"That sounds wonderful, actually," Robin instantly replied, eyes sparkling. Blue's smile warmed, clearly pleased by Robin's enthusiasm. "I'll gladly join, Chrom." He twisted to look at me. "What about you, though? I'll… understand if you'd rather not. I imagine it's rather distressing to deal with an amnesiac sibling." He smiled kindly. "But, if you can bear it, I'd love to learn about you again, and… well…"

"...Gods, you're an idiot," I sighed, leaning back in my chair. I drained the last of my cider and set my mug on the table. "Of course I'm going with you. You forgot to pick up sense in the womb, and you're liable to starve or kill yourself with food poisoning."

"Surely I wasn't _that_ bad…"

"We once defeated bandits by feeding them your horrible cooking."

"See? You both have bandit killing experience already," Blue laughed. His smile was almost like a cat that caught the bird, and a touch of relief. I wondered if he offered more out of pity than anything, and the idea just made me feel sour. "Ah, my pardon, did you need something, sir?"

"No, no!" A village man approached, smiling warmly at us. "We were just wondering if you all would be staying the night," he explained. "We don't have much, but we'll gladly throw you a feast, if you would like."

"Thank you, but no," Shiny refused, smiling warmly to soften the refusal. It warmed as the man nodded, but I was more surprised the man didn't insist. "We really must be off."

"Seriously!?" Buttons yelped, jumping to her feet. Her eyes were wide and she pointed to the nearby window. "It's nearly dark! Where are we going to sleep!?"

"We'll camp, of course. It shouldn't be too much for you, yes? You do like reminding us that you're not very delicate."

"You…" She sulked, puffing out her cheeks like a chipmunk's. "Frederick, sometimes, I hate you."

"A word of warning, you two," Blue suddenly whispered. It was a 'fake whisper', though, clearly meant to be heard by everyone near. "Frederick only smiles when he's about to bring down the axe. Like now."

"My lord, you are aware I can hear you, yes?" Shiny deadpanned. He looked fondly exasperated, and the village man walked off, likely to let the rest of the place know our plans. "I haven't suddenly disappeared, you know."

"Of course. I wouldn't have said it otherwise." Blue stood up slowly and stretched, rolling his shoulders. "Well, let's check on the town one more time, and then head out, all right?"

The others agreed, some more reluctantly than others, and we took our used mugs to the owner of the place to wash. When we did, my eyes fell on Blue's shoulder, and I froze when I saw the mark on it. It was the Mark of Naga, the Royal Birthmark of the Halidom, proof of the contract the First Exalt made with Naga all those centuries ago.

My eyes then fell on the brand on Robin's hand, and I barely checked the urge to touch the back of my shoulder, where my own brand was. The Brand of the Fell Dragon, proof that we were descended from Grima's first Vessel and Champion. Proof that the both of us were 'suitable' vessels for Grima.

But my brother had one more mark, one right over his heart. It was proof that he had inherited the Heart of Grima. That made him a 'perfect' vessel, and our father had done his best to destroy what semblance of a spirit he had, just so that the Awakening could be performed quickly and quietly.

It didn't work, and now, I watched Robin happily chatting with the Heir of Naga, wielder of the Falchion, and wondered just what the gods were plotting. Whatever it was, it wouldn't be good.

Humans always suffered when the gods decided to play their games.

* * *

 _Info on Kestrel:_

 _Class - Mercenary; Reclass - Dark Mage, Myrmidon_

 _Focuses on the way of the blade, despite early training as a dark magic user, for ease of use and to help hide. Because she's been alone for so long, she does not find it easy to trust people._

 _Very willful and able of enduring a great deal of damage despite lacking in armor. A very balanced fighter ultimately, capable of adapting to just about any situation._

 _Tends to call people by nicknames, referring only to her twin brother, Robin, by his actual first name._

* * *

Author's Note: Welcome to Shadows of the Shepherds, an Awakening Novelization. I will go ahead and admit that there will be extra arcs and/or tweaks to the plot in attempts to help lessen the gaping plot holes in the game's storyline. I'll also go ahead and state that with the exception (possibly) of the _last_ Spotpass, I'm not doing them, so that I don't have to attempt to logic a few of them.

So, meet Kestrel and Robin! Kestrel is our sole POV char, while Robin serves more of the 'in-game Robin' role. This is mostly to give a different spin to the events of the game. For those curious, Kestrel is HP+, Def- while Robin is Speed+, HP-. (I will also be treating Ignis as a 'bloodline' trait, not a 'class skill', ftr, meaning Kestrel and Robin will both [eventually] use it. Think of it like a personal skill, like in Fe14.) Speaking of FE14, for classes that are shared between the games (like mercenary), I'll be 'sharing' skills based on personalities.

(Since recruitment can be a little front heavy, I'll just be doing one char bio per chapter.)

Next Chapter - Unwelcome Change


	2. Chapter 1) Unwelcome Change

Chapter 1) Unwelcome Change

* * *

 _So, things are… strange. My twin brother, Robin, has lost all his memories, barely remembering my name and not remember his own at all. He retains most of his skills, but has no explanations for how he got them. And, damn me, I don't know what all to tell him. I can't summarize the past fifteen years except as a simple 'rough'. As if that encompasses all the fear and pain we'd gone through._

 _Now, we head to Ylisstol with Blue, Buttons, and Shiny, to join the Shepherds. Somewhere, I am certain the gods are just cackling._

* * *

"So, you are my younger twin," Robin murmured. He grinned, apparently pleased by the idea of being the 'older brother'. "What's your favorite color?"

"It's… blue, I guess," I sighed, picking one at random. I didn't have a favorite _anything_ , really. "Sure, we'll go with that."

"Okay, and your favorite flower?"

"Lilies."

"Food?"

"Berries."

"Animal?"

"Cat."

"Favorite-"

"Robin, why are you asking all of this?" I gave him a look. "It doesn't really tell you much about me."

"Maybe, but I simply don't know, so it's a good basis!" Robin sulked slightly, and it was so strange to see. He had never been so childish. "These are things I used to know instinctively!"

"You really don't remember anything…" That concept was hard for me to wrap my head around.

"I remembered two things!" He sounded particularly proud about that. "Your name, and Chrom's."

"So, you remembered my name, you remembered the name of a stranger, and… that's it." I gave him the most exasperated look I could manage. "Seriously?"

"Is Chrom really a stranger?"

"We'd heard his name, yes, and seen him once or twice in the distance, maybe, but for all intents and purposes, yes, he is a stranger."

"But I knew his name." Robin frowned slightly. "And since the only other thing I remembered was your name, that would logically mean that he is as important to me as you are. Which must be a lot, since I forgot everything _but_ your names."

"And I'm telling you that logically, that's bullshit, because we'd never said two words to the guy." I looked ahead, to where Blue, Buttons, and Shiny were walking. They were giving us space to talk, while also leading the way. The sunset painted everything a pinkish-red color, meaning we'd be stopping soon. "That's all."

"Weird." His frown deepened, and I was pleased to see such a familiar expression on his face at last. "So, Kestrel, during the battle, I could see-"

"Insight." I sighed. "You have 'Insight'. It's a magic that's not a magic, basically. You have to be born with the ability, and it's impossible to teach. The magic lets you 'see' things that others cannot see, such as the bonds between people or how skillful someone is. It's saved our lives quite a few times."

"Ah, I see." He nodded a bit before frowning. "What about… the ability to see the future? Do I have that?"

"No, you don't."

"Really?" He frowned a bit more. "I had the strangest dream before waking…" He shook his head. "Well, if I can't see the future, then it was likely just that. Maybe my brain's way of trying to make sense of whatever happened to make me lose my memories."

"Perhaps." I glanced at him worriedly. "Would you like to talk about it?"

"Maybe later." He smiled. "Oh, looks like we're stopping."

That we were, and it was clear why. Buttons was complaining.

"Ech! And all the bugs are out!" Buttons whined, sulking. "Noisy disgusting bugs that crawl around and buzz all over and bite your-!" She started hacking suddenly. "Agh! Won goph in mah mouph!"

"Aw, come on now, Lissa," Blue teased. He smiled, clearly having fun. "Hardship builds character."

"Blech…" Buttons looked like the world was ending. "I think I swallowed it."

"The protein will do you good. Want to help me gather firewood?"

"No way!" She stomped angrily and pouted. "I think I've built _quite_ a bit of character today!" I personally thought she was being a spoilt brat, but I knew better than to say _that_.

"We should really think about food," Robin pointed out. He smiled gently. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I am _starving_."

"I guess you would be," I murmured. "We never did have lunch." I was so used to being hungry that I didn't even think about it. "Well, I'll go do some hunting and gathering. I'm used to such things."

"I'll-"

"You stay here, because you're hopeless at both." I gave him a look and he sighed. "Well, you were, at least. I somehow doubt the lack of memory would make you know the difference between plants."

"Okay, point."

"I'll go with you," Blue volunteered. He grinned. "I like a bit of good hunting." I thought it would be a miracle if he _could_ actually hunt. "Frederick, clear a camp site, will you?"

"Certainly, my lord," Shiny replied. He gave me a dubious look that all but screamed 'if any harm comes to him, I _will_ kill you'. I debated rolling my eyes, but decided to smile instead. It was worth his squirming. "Happy hunting."

* * *

To my surprise, Blue _did_ actually know a bit about hunting. He wasn't the best by any means, but he was good enough that I felt comfortable leaving him to it while I gathered some wild sprouts to eat. He managed to take down a bear, and we cleaned and gutted it before dragging it back to camp. Once there, Shiny had a roaring fire going, and Buttons and Robin had tents set up. So, Blue and I cut up the bear, and I set about cooking it with some herbs I'd foraged. The smell of cooking meat made my stomach growl, reminding me that it had been over a day since I last ate. That little reminder made me a bit grouchy, since I had food in front of me. So, I was very pleased when I finished cooking and could actually sit down to eat.

"Ah, this is the best," Blue sighed, gleefully tucking in. "It's been much too long since I've had bear meat." He smiled at me, eyes dancing with laughter. "My compliments to the chef! It's delicious." Blue's eyes narrowed as he jostled Buttons, who stared at her portion like it had offended her. "Come on. Dig in."

"Pass," Buttons deadpanned. She groaned, sulking. "Gods, couldn't you have killed an animal normal people eat for once? Who eats bear?! You're meddling with the food chain! Right, Robin?" Buttons looked over to Robin for backup, and did a double-take when she saw him scarfing down all his food. "Uh…"

"Come on, Lissa. Meat is meat."

"Since when does meat smell like old boots?! No, wait, I take that back! Old boots smell worse!"

"Every experience makes us stronger, milady," Shiny chided. He smiled slightly at her. "Even those we do not enjoy."

"Really?" Buttons replied, scowling. "And just _why_ have you not eaten your portion yet?"

"I… uh…" Shiny tried to hide his plate behind his back. "I'm not really hungry. Large lunch at all."

"Yeah, right!"

"Bear is a staple for people in this area, Buttons," I finally said, having enough of her attitude. "After all, it is commonly available, and people know how to hunt it. The alternative they have is to starve, since this area is still recovering from the war with Plegia." I shook my head. "You may choose to not eat it, but I assure you, this _is_ something normal people eat, and there are many normal people who would not even have this much."

"I'll take her share if she doesn't want it," Robin cheerfully replied. A good thing, since an awkward silence might've fallen otherwise. Buttons just stared, and it seemed like Blue and Shiny didn't know how to react when someone else scolded their precious princess. "I feel like I haven't eaten for days."

"We haven't, really. We held back in foraging because it's been a lean year for the locals."

"Well, then!" Robin smiled and snagged Shiny's plate. "I'm going to continue eating. This is good. Thanks, Kes."

"Robin, please don't shorten my name."

"Okay." Robin went back to eating, and a silence fell. I felt like growling, but I knew the silence was my fault. That just made me even grouchier, and I tried to take my frustrations out on my meat. It didn't really work, and the meal ended on an awkward note.

Mostly to have an excuse to not talk to anyone, I volunteered to clean up the remains of the meal, and set about washing the plates at a nearby river. Unfortunately, though, footsteps told me someone followed.

"Kestrel?" Even better, the 'someone' was Blue. "Might we talk?" he asked. "About-"

"If you expect me to apologize, I won't," I told him bluntly. He winced slightly. "It's one thing to insult a meal _while_ the one who cooked it is right there, and frankly, I don't give a damn about that, though she should've considered it. I do care about her acting like a spoiled brat, if only because I have to suffer through her whining."

"She's not used to these things."

"Well, she can get used to them or go back to your castle." I turned away, scrubbing at a particularly stubborn spot on a plate. "If that's all you wanted to talk about, you can head back to camp now."

"That's…" He sighed. "May I help with drying?"

"Sure." I handed him all the wet plates, including the one I had just finished scrubbing. "Have fun. I'm going to take a bath."

"Oka… hey, wait!" He called after me, but I waved over my shoulder and walked further down the river, hoping that _this time_ , I could be left alone to deal with my thoughts.

I just felt wrong. I felt like I needed to scratch off all my skin, in the hopes that someone who could deal with all of this would emerge. Perhaps it was cruel to be so harsh, so quickly with her, but really, Buttons was being rude _and_ ignorant. My nerves were raw from the day's events. I was never at my best when I finally had a meal after so long without.

I thought about how, when we were little, Mom would often tell Robin and I to just 'go to sleep' and that things would be better when we woke up. It had been a comforting lie back then, but the comfort had long since bled out of the words. Unless Robin magically regained his memories after a good night's sleep, then there was no way this was going to get better.

* * *

I lingered by the river for a while before deciding that I couldn't hide from my problems and situation forever, and made my slow way back to camp. When I got there, though, I realized something strange. Both Blue and Buttons were missing, while Shiny and Robin slept blissfully unaware. Frowning, I decided to go look for them.

However, just as I lost sight of the camp, the earth _rocked_. I yelped, shifting my feet automatically, and realized something horrible. This was no simple 'rocking'. The ground was pulling itself apart!

I started running, first to avoid being caught in a crevice, and then to try and find Blue and Buttons. Those two were away from the camp, and I doubted I'd be so lucky that they were back at the camp. So, I ran, dodging falling trees and jumping over cracks, hunting for them amidst the chaos.

"Lissa!" Blue's shout caught my ear, as did Buttons's yelp, and I used both to find them at last. However, it soon became apparent just _why_ they'd been yelling. The ground had cracked and splittered, and Buttons was caught on a crumbling section, too far away for Blue to grab her before the ground fully gave way.

I, however, was much closer. "Hey!" I yelled. Buttons turned to me with wide, tearing eyes. "Save the crying! Jump!"

"It's too high!" she retorted. She then screamed as another piece of the ground crumbled. "A-ah…"

"I'll catch you. But it's either jump or fall." I skidded to a stop and held out my arms. "Come on! Before the rest of this goes!"

"I…" She glanced around, closed her eyes just long enough to whimper, and then ran and jumped. The ground collapsed under the force, but I caught her easily, even if I got a little banged up because of her weird hoop skirt. "That was…"

"Not out of the woods yet!" I set her on the ground and snagged her hand. I looked around wildly and saw Blue stumbling through some bushes, the briars ripping holes in his clothes. "Blue! This way looks stable!"

"I'll take lead!" he declared, already moving ahead. Deciding this wasn't the time to argue, I followed, dragging Buttons behind me. She tripped and stumbled, but she righted herself each time, so I just squeezed her hand reassuringly.

At one point, though, fire erupted from the cracks in the ground and fireballs rained down. Blue kept one eye on it all and led us safely away from the forest fires, even as the smoke choked us. I debated picking up Buttons, but decided against it. Unless I could get that stupid hoop skirt off of her, there was no way I could manage it.

"This way!" Blue yelled through the roaring of the shuddering earth and the crackling of the wild fires. He waved to make sure I saw which way he was running, and jumped down to a lower part of the forest. The impact of the landing made my teeth rattle, and Buttons yelped from pain. But it did get us to a section that gave us a _lovely_ view of the fiery hail bombarding the forest, but that was also clearly sheltered from the flames for now. That was enough.

"Ylisse isn't really known for earthquakes, right?" I finally whispered. My voice rasped, and the exertion of everything started to catch up. I wiped the sweat off my face, and noticed my legs were shaky. "I know Ferox is, but even then, that's far from the border."

"We get hit every once in a while, but I've never seen an earthquake do _this_ ," Blue replied. He groaned, leaning back slightly to stretch. "Not to sound ungrateful, but what are you doing here?"

"I returned to camp and saw you two were gone. I got worried and looked for you." I shrugged, and turned to Buttons, using my sleeve to wipe the soot off her face. "You okay?"

"Maybe… in a minute…" Buttons mumbled. She was panting heavily, and I noticed her face was pinched from pain. "I… did something to my ankle. I think it's just bruised, but…" She glanced up and gasped, straightening in an instance. "Chrom, Kestrel, what _is_ that?!"

Both Chrom and I whirled, and could only stare as light suddenly converged in the sky. A magic seal crackled into life, spinning very slowly, and a strange blue sphere appeared in the sky, surrounded by white crystals. It was almost like someone's eye, gazing upon everything, and I was reminded of the pictures of Naga and Grima in their draconic forms.

The blue sphere rippled, and strange… things fell from it. They smelled of death and rot, and they moved about jerkily, as if manipulated by an unskilled puppeteer. They wore tattered, broken armor, and they were stitched together haphazardly. What voice they had echoed eerily, as if from the bottom of a well.

They were also _stupidly_ fast. Blue lunged, drawing Falchion and striking whatever it was across the chest. However, what would've been a crippling blow against a normal foe didn't seem to do much of anything. It just turned its head at an unnatural angle, bones cracking and breaking from the force, and then twisted to strike Blue.

I drew my blade, planning on helping, but I quickly had to block as another one of the things tried to decapitate me. I grit my teeth and shifted my footing as it pushed all its weight on me, in an attempt to break through my guard. Feeling my arms strain, I quickly stepped to the side, forcing its axe to slide off the side. I kicked it in the stomach, hoping to wind it, but it caught my leg and twisted, throwing me into a tree. My teeth rattled from the impact, and I slide down, groaning as I tried to undaze myself. The thing lunged, coming at me again, but I managed to duck between their legs and spun, stabbing them through the neck. Unfortunately, I misjudged the distance, meaning I also managed to stab the tree with it.

The thing flailed a bit, trying to catch me, before it growled and went limp. Its body disappeared, evaporating into smoke, leaving me with a sword stuck in a tree, and not even the blood of my enemy to show for it. I sighed and almost went to pull it out, but a loud scream made me jerk. I nearly panicked when I saw one of these… things… had Buttons cornered against a tree, her bum ankle making it impossible for her to do anything but slid down and bring up her staff as a useless shield.

I quickly realized I had no time to retrieve my blade _and_ shield her, so I picked the latter, wrapping my arms around Buttons and twisting so that the axe would hit my back.

A sharp 'clang', however, told me someone managed to block it. I looked up, expecting Blue. Instead, however, I looked onto a strange person, with hair the same color as Blue's, but wearing a butterfly mask to hide their face. They held themselves as still as possible, as the twisted attacker tried desperately to break their sword.

"Help!" Mask yelled, glancing over their shoulder. Rushing footsteps told me that they'd been yelling at Blue, and the attacker glanced up, startled by the new noise. Mask took advantage of the distraction to twist, striking at the thing at the same exact time Blue did.

For a brief moment, everything seemed to still, and Buttons and I could only stare at whatever just happened. Then the creature growled and crumbled, evaporating into smoke.

Buttons slumped, relieved to the point of tears, and I helped her up, pulling her into my side as we moved closer to Blue. Blue shifted to stand in front of us, watching Mask closely. He kept Falchion unsheathed, but at his side, a clear indication of 'I am wary, but I am also trusting you.' Mask, meanwhile, just sheathed their sword, and deliberately set their hand on the hilt to hide the design.

"Quite the entrance," Blue eventually murmured. Mask barely glanced back over their shoulder. It was impossible to tell what they were thinking. "What's your name? I owe you for protecting them." Mask didn't reply. "Hey, did you hear-?" The sound of hooves pounding the ground made all of us whirl. "Oh, great, now what?"

"My lord, my lady!" Shiny and Robin rode up, both looking frantic. "There you are!" Shiny continued, slowing his horse to a stop. Robin didn't even wait for the full stop before jumping off and bolting for me, hugging me so tightly that I couldn't help but freeze. He had… never been free with hugs before. "Are you unharmed?"

"We're fine," I replied, mostly to have an excuse to step out of the hug. It felt… weird. "Thank you very much for finally waking up to come help."

"My apologies." It was telling that Shiny didn't even try to defend himself or make some sort of sarcastic retort. "The paths were broken and the fires cut off even more. We've been riding in circles."

"If I'd thought something like _this_ would've happened, I definitely would've left a note," Blue sighed. I thought he should've left one anyway, but maybe that was just me. "Sorry, Frederick."

"My lord, so long as you and my lady are well, I am fine," Shiny replied. He looked at them worriedly, and actually dismounted to poke at them both. "Thank the gods… I do not know what I would do if you two were harmed."

"Frederick, we're not…" Blue sighed, shaking his head. "No, forget that. I'm sorry, Frederick. Again."

"Besides, you should give some thanks to the masked man!" Buttons chirped. She seemed to have recovered from her near brush with death rather nicely, surprisingly so in my opinion. "If it wasn't for him, Kestrel and I would be…" She turned, likely to gesture to Mask, but to everyone's surprise, they weren't there. "Huh? Where did he go?"

"My lady, let us worry about that later," Shiny replied. Now that he was sufficiently reassured, he was back to being stoic. "We must first put these… things… to the blade. Eyes open. We know nothing about this enemy."

"I take it they're not commonplace then?" Robin asked dryly. He frowned, tilting his head curiously. "They're almost like the dead, but walking. Is that possible?"

"Not that I know of."

"I _have_ heard of a few dark magic curses capable of enslaving corpses, but nothing of this magnitude," I replied slowly. Mother had once called the dead, to be a shield as we ran. It had been horrifyingly stressful on her body, and I maintained it hastened her to her death. That was something only a tenth of this. "You also hear of historical accounts from a thousand years ago about the Grimleal and the walking dead, but I always thought the numbers were exaggerated." Now, I wasn't so certain.

"I'm going to hope that it's just a new spell, and not a demon dragon coming to play," Blue deadpanned. I almost burst into laughter because of just how… he was saying it with two Vessels of Grima standing right beside him, one of which was a _perfect_ Vessel. You could argue that Grima was already out to 'play'. "There's forts. Let's head there."

"Following you."

* * *

"Kestrel, you and Chrom need to fall back!" Robin called. Though I wanted to protest, the injury on my leg made it clear that moving forward would _not_ be a good idea. So, I jumped back behind the walls of the abandoned fort and moved to fetch a vulnerary and some bandages from my pack. Buttons, however, quickly bolted over and healed up my injury. She gave me a smile, and actually passed me a piece of candy she must've had in her pocket before rushing off, likely to help Robin.

Shrugging, I popped the candy into my mouth and smiled slightly. Sweets were rare thanks to everyone still recovering, and sweets like _this_ was something only nobility could really afford. I hadn't had candy in a very, very long time.

"These things just keep coming," Blue groaned as he limped over. I gave him a concerned look and he shook his head. "My muscles are just protesting. We've been fighting for over an hour at this point."

"How can you tell?" I asked around the candy. I refused to let that little bit of sweetness go. "Last I checked, the smoke had blotted out the sky."

"Smoke is clearing up now, so the fires are dying." He half-fell next to me, groaning. "This was supposed to be a simple patrol. That's why I chose for there only to be three of us. With things being so tense with Plegia, I didn't want to take more."

"Why are you all even this far south?"

"Heard that the borderlands were being besieged by bandits, so here we are. Phila wanted to bring in the pegasus knights, but I thought that would make Plegia jump." He groaned again, this time leaning back against the wall. "What a mess. Emm is going to be worried."

"Well, no one is dead yet, except for whatever these things are." The candy fully melted in my mouth and I stood up to slowly stretch and avoid cramping. "Shiny seems to be doing just fine."

"Frederick is an old hand, though he is a bit out of practice these days. He's pulled triple duty all my life, and I think the strain is getting to him, though he'll never admit it. Too loyal."

"Huh." I looked out a nearby window, studying the landscape. I frowned when I noticed something. "Hey, Blue?"

"Yeah?"

"There's a redheaded rider wearing Ylissean armor and a blue-haired archer wearing a bib to the south of us." I pointed for emphasis as I turned to face him. "Who are they?"

"Wait, seriously?" Blue pushed himself up and limped over to my side, frowning as he found the people I mentioned. "Well, the redhead is Sully, though I don't know what she's doing here. She's one of the Shepherds, and a childhood friend." He shook his head. "I've… no idea who the man is, though. But having an archer around will probably be very helpful, considering Robin is our only fighter who can attack at range."

"I'll let Robin know." I walked off, hunting for Robin. It was easy to find him. He was snapping orders at Frederick.

"Frederick, fall back to get treated!" Robin called. I grimaced when I noticed that Frederick _was_ sporting injuries. Since he was easily our most heavily armored person, that didn't speak well for us. "Lissa, I need you to heal him. If you're running low on staff charges, let me know at _once_." He sighed, glaring slightly, but he smiled when he was me. "Kestrel, how are you and Chrom doing?"

"We're doing fine," I reassured him. I made sure to smile back. "We spotted some fighters to the south, one of which is a Shepherd. Blue might've already gone to get them."

"Really? What sort of weapons?"

"One is a rider like Shiny. Less armored, and I didn't get a look at her weapon. The other is an archer."

"I will take both, if only to set things up." Robin sighed again, but this time in relief. "We don't have much more to deal with, from the looks of it, but it's definitely the toughest for last."

"Well, where do you need me?"

"Right now, exactly where you are. I don't want to give you orders until we get those two."

I nodded in reply and moved a little closer, leaning into him slightly. We had always done this when we were taking a break. He unconsciously leaned back, making me smile. It seemed there were _some_ things he remembered, even if he didn't realize it. That reassured me.

I straightened when Blue ran up with two strangers in tow. I instantly dubbed the girl 'Red', because that was her predominant color, and the man became 'Ruffles' because of the stupid cravat he wore. "Any word on to why they're here when we need them?" I called, smiling slightly. "It is mighty convenient."

"Apparently, I'm a day late, so Sully came to check in on us," Blue laughed. He gestured at the two. "Robin, Kestrel, this is Sully and Virion. Ignore Virion's limping. He has simply learned why Sully is sometimes nicknamed the woman to end all men."

"Should I be worried?"

"His flirtation tipped over into harassment. He's apologized and promised to be more careful when he flirts." Blue shrugged, while Ruffles simply executed a picture perfect bow. He was _definitely_ a noble. "Robin, where do you need them?"

"Right now, I'll need Virion to provide covering fire while Sully plays hit and run to draw them closer," Robin answered. His eyes narrowed. "But there is something…" He gasped. "Frederick and Lissa haven't touched base with me."

"Well, that's where I'm going." Blue bolted down the path, actually jumped down to a lower level instead of using the stairs.

"Chrom, hold up!" Robin groaned as Blue refused to stop. "Reckless…" He glanced at me pleadingly, and smiled when I nodded and already started off. "Thank you. Now, Sully and Virion…"

Robin's voice trailed off in the distance as I ran down the path, chasing after Blue. I caught up to him before long, mostly because he still wasn't recovered from his earlier limping. The two of us cut through some of the strange creatures, mostly just knocking them down so that we could find Shiny and Buttons.

We found them not far away, surrounded by these things. We quickly struck at the same creature, turning it to smoke, and then set up with Shiny to form a protective triangle around Buttons. She gave us a grateful smile, though there was a touch ruefull, for some reason.

"Sully is here with a newbie," Blue explained to Shiny. His arms shook slightly, and it was clear the battle was taking its toll on him. I couldn't even pretend to tease him, though, as I was just as exhausted. The battle earlier in the day, however brief, had not done us favors for this sort of fight. "Robin is coordinating them."

"Then we just need to take care of these, as I think the only one by their side of the field is the leader," Shiny replied. I tried to think of just _how_ these things had a leader. "Now, once more!"

"On it!"

"You two are certainly chatty on the field," I muttered, before lunging forward to catch a sword user across the chest. They retaliated instantly, gouging my arm, but I twisted away and slammed my sword through its neck. I nearly screamed as it bit my neck, but it evaporated soon after, leaving me bleeding badly and teetering.

"I've got you!" Buttons declared. The calm blue light of a healing staff washed over me. "Oh…" She made a face. "Darn it. I'll need to to a second one to-"

"If I'm not going to immediately die, save the charge, just in case."

"Well, let me better clean your neck, at least." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a handkerchief and a little vial of what smelled like vulnerary. "Bite wounds are dangerous."

"All right." I let her pull me down to sit among some roots and held still as she carefully cleaned the bite injury. Blue and Shiny continued to fight, but I closed my eyes to focus more of sounds. If anything got close, I'd need to retaliate. However, the others managed to keep the things off of us, and I spent an awkward few minutes trying to not squirm as Buttons kept poking my neck. My instinctual reaction was to attack, but I knew she was only helping, so I held myself stiffly.

"And… there," Buttons declared. There was a bit more rustling and I realized when I opened my eyes that she had bandaged my neck too. "I'll want to check on it in the morning."

"That's fine," I reassured her. I stood up slowly, grimacing as my muscles protested. They were definitely, _definitely_ not enjoying the 'two battles in one day' thing. "The others?"

"I think they've finished killing everything." She stood up too and brushed off her skirts. "Shall we join them?"

"You go ahead. I'm going to make sure we're secure."

"Okay." She gave me a little wan smile, before walking off. I watched her closely, worried she'd stumble, but then left to do my little patrol when she caught up with Blue. It seemed he, at least, was talking to Mask, who had suddenly reappeared. I was curious, but didn't bother wondering. If I needed to know, I'd learn about it one way or another.

As I walked, I found _some_ evidence of the creatures, namely their weapons. Not even their armor remained, however, and that concerned me. Everything about the things concerned me.

I had a very bad feeling about all of this, and all my instincts were screaming that either Robin and I needed to _permanently_ run from our destiny, or it was going to rip us apart.

* * *

We decided to just make a new camp in the fortress. Ruffles was apparently joining the Shepherds, out of thanks for the shelter, and because he was actually good with a bow. In the morning, we planned on making our way to nearby villages, to make sure they were all okay.

Blue, Buttons, and I had been 'excused' from watch rotation, but I was tempted to volunteer anyway, just because I couldn't sleep anyway. You'd think I'd just pass out because of everything, but no, I could only lie there, trying not to groan as my muscles throbbed. Those creatures just wouldn't leave my head. The old stories of how the dead walked and fought alongside the Grimleal echoed through my thoughts. Was this another thing from the Grimleal? Was this another trick to try and capture Robin and me? Robin and I had vowed to not die before our father, but…

Of course, Robin didn't remember any of this and, damn me, I just didn't want to explain it. I didn't know how to. How were you supposed to explain to your amnesiac twin brother that we were born to bring about the end of humanity? Especially since we were in Ylisse, the land that tried to purge all of Plegia from the world, just to 'stop' the Grimleal. How many would rise up in arms if they learned just what we were?

I couldn't explain. I didn't know how. I was scared to. I might be comfortable with dying, but I still wanted it to be a death of my own choosing, damn it.

"Kestrel?" Button's low murmur drew me out of my thoughts, and with a groan, I sat up. She squeaked as I did so. "Um…"

"Yes?" I prompted, mostly to get her to continue. I had no intention of dealing with her stammering when I was this tired.

"Uh…" She fiddled with her hands. "So, I know you probably don't like me, and that I'm spoiled, and that-"

"Buttons." I gave her a tired look. "What is it?"

"Um…" She ducked her head. "C-can I sleep with you? Please?"

"Me?" That… was not something I had expected. "Why me?"

"Well, it would be weird if I asked Frederick or Chrom, and even _weirder_ if I asked Robin or that Virion fellow. Sully tosses in her sleep and mumbles horribly." She glanced up tentatively. "But I… I don't want to fall asleep alone. It's childish, but-"

"You're scared."

"...Yes…"

"You're scared because of earlier, and you do not wish to sleep alone."

"Yes…"

"All right." I found myself smiling slightly. "Everyone gets scared when death brushes that closely." I realized now that she hadn't been 'doing well' earlier. She had simply hidden her fear behind a smile, because there was a battle. That took a lot of courage. "Well, come on." I lifted my blanket up and gestured for her to come closer. "I do plan on sleeping soon." Somehow.

"Thank you!" She gave me a giant smile before slipping under the blanket, curling into me. "Seriously, thanks."

"It's fine." Hesitantly, I stroked her hair. "Just close your eyes. Even if you don't actually fall asleep, that will be better than nothing."

"Okay." She did as I said, and it actually didn't take her long to fall asleep. However, as soon as she did, she started trembling, likely caught in a nightmare. I sang a soft lullaby, in the hopes that she'd calm down, and hugged her to provide some sort of comfort.

I was vaguely aware that she had stopped shaking by the time I managed to nod off, and the last thought I had before I drifted into a dreamless sleep was about how I might've underestimated this little girl's strength.

* * *

 _Info on Robin:_

 _Class - Tactician; Reclass - Mage, Priest_

 _Though he knows some swordsmanship, he focuses more on magic, being very proficient in it. Despite losing his memories, he is a very trusting person._

 _Very fast, though some traits about him imply a frail health. Not very balanced, but his speed makes up for it._

 _Kind and mysterious, with a charisma that draws people in. He is also very eager to learn just about anything._

* * *

Author's Notes: Well, here's where the plot of the game kicks in, though none of the characters will know how MUCH so until much later. We also have Sully, our red Cavalier, and Virion, the Archest of Archers. As a reminder, Robin is Spd+, HP-.

Next Chapter - Interlude, Yllistol


	3. Interlude - Ylisstol

Interlude - Ylisstol

* * *

 _Despite the very rough start to the journey, the rest of the trip to Yllistol was surprisingly quiet. Buttons and I shared a blanket for the first couple of days, and then we just shared tents as she calmed enough to sleep alone again. This was when I learned she was a prankster at heart, but she quickly learned to not play pranks on me, thankfully. I didn't want to have to explain to Blue why I accidentally killed his sister. He might just kill me for that one._

 _Now, though, we're almost at Ylisstol, capital of the Halidom, and I have no idea what I'm going to do. I know a lot of secrets, but..._

* * *

"But soft, what yonder window breaks-"

"If you're going to spew poetry at me this early in the morning, Ruffles, then at least make it original."

"Original, you say? Why, my lady Kestrel, I had no idea you thought so highly of my creativity!" He coughed to clear his throat. "Where true love burns, desire is love's pure flame; it is the reflex of our earthly frame that takes its meaning from the nobler part, and but translates the language of the heart."

"That's a nice poem, but if you don't move, I'm going to splash oatmeal on your bib because you don't have the sense to move out of the way while I'm handling a hot pot."

"It is not a bib!" He sighed dramatically. "Still, even when angered, your voice is as lovely as your namesake."

"I take it you haven't actually _heard_ a kestrel's cry. It's a rather high-pitched noise, and not anything I'd call a song."

"I find it rather beautiful to hear, actually. Rather like you." He smiled and bowed slightly, taking my hand and completely ignoring that I was handling hot metal objects. "But really, my most beautiful miss, you have the most fitting name. A kestrel bird flies elegantly and gracefully through the air and swoops down to claim its prey, just as you have swept me off my feet and stolen my heart."

"Oh, did I? You can have it back." I groaned as he opened his mouth to retort and tugged my hand from his. "Just shut up and set some plates out for everyone."

By now, it was almost routine. I was the best cook out of the group, as quickly proven when Blue, Red, and Robin decided to try and cook a lunch and nearly knocked us all out, so I got up first to make something for breakfast. Ruffles, for reasons unknown to me, often ended up second, and would spent part of his time reading while I cooked. The rest of his time, he spent _trying_ to flirt with me. I'd be infuriated, but he did back off when I made it clear when I was uncomfortable and did his level best to never make me uncomfortable again. He also lent his books to Robin to read, which made him smile brightly. It was hard to hate someone who made my twin happy.

"As you wish, my lady," Ruffles replied with a little bow. "Virion, away!" I could do with less dramatics, though. I really could.

Sighing, I checked the oatmeal and made sure there were no lumps or anything before taking it off the fire and banking the fire so that it would simply warm, and not burn. After that, I went to the tent I shared with Lissa, intending to wake her up. To my surprise, though, she was already awake. It normally took a lot of prodding to get her up and moving in the morning.

"Ugh…" Worse, though, was that she was whimpering. "Why me?" she complained. Whatever was going on, she was barely dressed, and looked like a wreck. "Ugh…

"Buttons?" I called. She looked up at me pitifully. "What happened?"

"This!" She dragged her nightgown from where it was balled up in the corner and held it up. "See?" She pointed to a very noticeable crimson stain. "This happened!"

"Oh, your period came during the night." I smiled slightly. "Having your nightgown stained is not the end of the world, Buttons."

"I'm not fussing over that. This is an old one anyway!" She groaned, and I resisted the urge to point out that it looked very new by my eye. "It's that my period came _early_! I didn't bring any pads!"

"Buttons, _I_ have some." I went to my pack and pulled one of the cloth pads out, passing it to her. "You should make sure to bring some next time, even if you're not due. In my experience, it always comes when it's most inconvenient."

"Yeah, that makes sense _now_!" She grumbled before whimpering again. "And on top of that, I'm cramping…"

"I used to get bad cramps too." I smiled slightly and ruffled her hair. "Why don't you get a bath? You'll feel better, and the water will help. While you do that, I'll get some tea ready for you."

"Cinnamon tea?"

"Cinnamon is out of my price range, but I've found ginger and peppermint worked for me." I stood up and took her nightgown from her. Noticing the blankets were stained as well, I picked them up too. "I'll have it steeping while I wash these."

"You're going to wash them now?"

"It's still a few hours to Ylisstol, and it's better to deal with these sorts of things when they're fresh." I smiled. "Trust the female mercenary, Buttons, especially since I've a few years on you. I am _very_ used to blood."

"I bow to your wisdom!" She laughed and even managed curtsey while still sitting. "Thanks, though. Really."

"I'll be back in a moment, unless you need my help getting a bath ready?"

"No, I'll ask Frederick to help. But thank you." She smiled sweetly. "You're the best, Kestrel."

"I'm really not, but that is kind of you to say." I shook my head and smiled back. "Be back soon."

The others were just stirring as I stepped out of the tent and I set the bundle of clothes down to fetch a kettle, kindly 'donated' by Ruffles, and stoked the fire back to life so that I could get some water boiling. I ducked back into my tent briefly to fetch some ginger and peppermint to put into a mug, and got Buttons's tea set up as she finally stepped out of the tent herself and walked over to Shiny. Once all that was done, I picked up my bundle and picked my way towards the nearby river. While the others were busy, Red caught sight of me and, perhaps curious, she trotted over, looking at my burden with a curious expression.

"Okay, curiosity is killing me," she noted after a moment. "Are you seriously doing laundry? We're not _that_ far from Ylisstol."

"Perhaps, but poor Buttons got a little visit from Mother Nature during the night," I replied. I showed her the blankets for emphasis, and she winced in sympathy. "So, I'm going ahead with these."

"Yeah, that's a better idea. The maids back home always said to tend to these things fresh." She shrugged. "Want help? They taught me when I went to be a knight."

"...Sure, it's probably better to have two eyes for this sort of thing." Things like this reminded me that Red was probably a very high ranked noble. She was childhood friends with Blue, after all. " _Can_ you do laundry, though?"

"I hate it with a passion, and I wouldn't trust me with anything delicate, but doesn't seem fair to make the maids clean out _all_ the blood." She smirked slightly. "Besides, this gets me out of early morning chores. Which I am also very bad at and hate."

"Well, follow me then." I'd probably just have her help spot spots. "I'm sure the boys can serve themselves."

"Yeah, Frederick will make sure they leave some for us." She grinned. "After you, then!"

* * *

I managed to get most of the blood out, and Red helped wring them out so that they wouldn't drip all over the place. By the time I got back, Buttons had finished her bath and was gratefully drinking the tea I had made. The others were digging into their food, and it wasn't long before we were back to walking. There were only two horses with us, after all, so we couldn't ride.

Still, in only a few hours, just as I predicted, we were in bustling Ylisstol.

"So, this is Ylisstol?" Robin breathed with wide eyes as he stared at the milling crowd. We were on a hill next to the market, out of the crowd, but definitely close enough to see and hear them. "I've never seen so many people!"

"Robin, in case you've already forgotten, you've barely seen _any_ people thanks to your amnesia," I replied. Still, everyone was far more cheerful than I expected. "Looks like the earthquake and everything didn't reach here."

"Yes, the quake must've been limited to only the forest," Shiny whispered. He frowned slightly. "Given the power, though…" The people here really _should_ have experienced some sort of aftershocks thing. "I have a bad feeling about all of this."

"Those are cursed words." I noticed some movement in the crowd, and it was soon clear just why. "Looks like the Exalt is walking about her people. Exalt Emmeryn practically glided through the crowd, smiling gently as she passed people. Those she smiled at had a look of ecstasy on them, as if they'd been blessed.

"Really?" Robin asked. His eyes were narrowed. "Is that really safe? There looked to be at least thirty different ways someone could hurt her."

"Meh, no one in Ylisse would hurt her," Red noted. She looked unimpressed by everything, while Ruffles looked like he was preparing his lines to flirt with the Exalt. "And she's got guards. Hidden, but there."

"Still…"

"Relax. It does the people good."

"It does?"

"Yes, the exalt is a symbol of peace, Ylisse's most prized quality," Shiny explained. He gave me a dirty look as I choked on a bitter laugh. "Long ago, at the dawn of our age, the First Exalt joined forces with the divine dragon and laid low the fell dragon, who wished to destroy the world." He gave me another dirty look as I choked on another laugh. "Exalt Emmeryn reminds us of the peace they fought for."

"She's a calming presence, reassuring the people when others might call for war against Plegia," Blue added. His smile was both soft and rueful. "She walks among the people to soothe their spirits and ease their worries."

"She's also the best big sister in the world!" Buttons chirped. She then got a confused look as both Robin and Ruffles yelped. "What? What is it?"

"My goodness, I guessed you two were nobility, but I did not guess you were royalty!" Virion breathed. He bowed to them both. "Please forgive my rudeness, your highnesses."

"Uh…"

"You said you were shepherds!" Robin snapped. I was a little startled; he _used_ to just roll with everything. "Shepherds!"

"We are, in a manner of speaking," Blue replied. He squirmed slightly, clearly uncomfortable. "We just have a _lot_ of sheep."

"Besides, didn't he say that his group were called 'Shepherds'?" I pointed out. Red was too busy giggling and Buttons looked confused. Shiny was paying more attention to the crowd than our antics. "They have a knight traveling with them, Robin, who tolerates their constant teasing."

"You knew?!" Robin yelped, whirling on me. He looked aggravated, and I really didn't know what to do. He'd never… "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's not exactly a secret, Robin, and I'm not the one with amnesia here." My voice was far drier than I had intended, but in all the weirdness, sarcasm was probably my only shield. "I figured he'd told you in the time between you losing your memories and me finding you. So don't yell at me for not telling you useless information."

"I'm not yelling, and it's not _useless_."

"Always has been to us."

"Well, I don't know 'always' anymore!"

"Don't yell at me!"

"I'm not!"

"Um…" Blue stepped between us, and I felt almost a little disoriented when I realized Robin and I had… been arguing, a little. We'd never argued, especially over something so pointless. It had always been just us two. "Robin, I'm sorry," he murmured, shifting slightly as if to shield me. That only made me bristle more; I didn't need protection! "I should've said something. I just never did like formalities, and I liked being around someone who honestly didn't know my rank. Frederick played along for Lissa and me."

"Oh the sacrifices I endure for the realm," Shiny instantly deadpanned, easing the tension in the air. I still felt horribly uncomfortable, and wondered if I should just leave. "Exalt Emmeryn, you did not need to come to us."

"I heard arguing and became worried." Emmeryn walked up to us, with a woman in Ylissean Pegasus Knight armor trailing behind her. "Welcome home, Chrom, Lissa, Frederick," she greeted. Her smile was sweet, and seemed far more genuine than the smile she'd given the crowd. "Oh, and good day, Sully. I see you found my wayward siblings. How fare you all?"

"Well, Emm, we shouldn't have a bandit problem for a while," Blue answered. He stayed exactly where he was, and I grit my teeth to resist the urge to snap at him. I really did not need protection, and the differences in Robin were just… I _knew_ it wasn't his fault, but they hurt anyway. "And our people are as safe as they can be. But we need to watch the borders. They crossed over from Plegia."

"Forgive me, my lord," the pegasus knight murmured. She looked almost pained as she bowed. "My knights should've intercepted them."

"No, Phila, your duties were here, with Emm." Blue smiled reassuringly. "I feel much better knowing you're here protecting Emm. I can handle a few bandits."

"You're too kind, my lord."

"Besides, we had help!" Buttons cheered. She skipped over to hug Emmeryn before gesturing dramatically to Ruffles, Robin, and me. "Ta-da~! This is Virion, Robin, and Kestrel. Robin and Kestrel are twins. They're all really nice. Even Virion, though he talks weird!"

"Lissa, please," Emmeryn laughed. She smiled gently, and I noted it was the same one she had given the crowd. "You have found new comrades then, Chrom?"

"We did!" Buttons had no problem answering for Blue, and Blue definitely didn't seem to care. "They're going to join the Shepherds!"

"I'm certain you have given Frederick no end of trouble." Her smile softened again, to a 'more real' one, as she turned to him. "Chrom and Lissa are truly blessed to have such a tireless guardian, Frederick. I do hope they remember to mention that from time to time."

"They do express something akin to gratitude every once in a while," Shiny answered with a surprisingly soft smile and light tone. Emmeryn laughed a bit in return, and I noticed Buttons looking confused and Blue looking almost pained. "But there are other things to discuss besides how suspicious our new companions are." His smile fell and he turned to Phila. "Have you seen some deathly creatures on the roads?"

"Yes, there are reports coming in from all over Ylisse," Phila replied. I decided to call her 'Feather' for the feather-pendant she wore, mostly hidden by her armor. "Do you have more information?"

"We do," Blue replied. His eyes narrowed slightly as he crossed his arms. "Council?"

"Yes, and I am glad you came back in time to join us," Emmeryn murmured. Her smile and cheer faded. "Let's head home, Chrom." She gave one last smile to the rest of us before turning away and walking down the path, Feather exactly one-step behind her. Blue followed her, with Shiny falling in at exactly one-step behind him. Buttons and Red cheerfully took charge of Robin and Ruffles, leading them 'somewhere'. They probably intended for me to follow, but I hung back, feeling out of place.

Tears of frustration pricked my eyes as I remembered the argument. It shouldn't be a big deal, and yet it was. It was just another reminder that while Robin might physically be my twin… mentally, he wasn't. He was a completely different person, unburdened by the stress of our lives and devoid of the few good things we'd experienced. He had forgotten everything, both the bad _and_ good. He wasn't _my_ twin brother anymore. It was more like he was a stranger who had the same face.

I wondered if I should leave. I clung to him like a burr, and lashed out when things were different, even though it was obvious they would be, _he_ would be. I expected him to act as he did before, despite the whole thing being stupid. It was stressful on me, and I couldn't imagine the stress on _him_. What did it feel like, being a blank slate and having to deal with a twin sister you didn't know, but were told you should, getting mad at stupid things you couldn't help?

That wasn't even going into the dangers both of us represented. I still could not find the courage to tell Robin just _what_ we were. I couldn't tell him that we were basically Grima, that we were Vessels masquerading as humans. There was _nothing_ human about us. We were just good at pretending. We could never have normal lives. We were just…

"Kestrel?" Blue's shout jolted me from my thoughts, and I whirled, trying to figure out why he wasn't gone. "You must've been pretty deep in your thoughts," he noted, walking over. He looked startled by something and fumbled through his pockets for something. "Ah… here…" He passed me a handkerchief, for some reason. "You're crying…"

It took me a second to realize he was right. At some point, the little pricks had turned to full-blown tears, and I hadn't noticed. "Guess so," I whispered, taking the handkerchief and hiding my face with it. While I'd wanted to cry many times, it had been a while since I had _actually_ cried. "What are you doing back here?"

"I remembered while I was walking that you had a few insights into the theory behind all of this, so I wanted to ask if you'd mind coming with me to the council meeting." His voice was soft, and he looked genuinely concerned when I peeked up at him. "But if you'd rather just go to bed or something? That's what Emm does when she wants to cry. Well, actually, she tries to be alone, which you might to, and I… would be stepping on that, but I didn't realize you were crying when I approached and-"

"You sound as if you're trying to talk around a foot in your mouth." I used the handkerchief to mop up my tears, but noticing how dirty it was, I tucked it into my pocket instead of giving it back. I was dustier than I'd thought from traveling. "You just… need me to report what I saw, and give my thoughts based on my travels."

"Yes, if you're up for it. If you're not-"

"I'm really not one for weeping, and I am _really_ not one to be protected, especially one-sidedly." I sighed, checking the urge to grimace as I realized just how stuffed up I felt. "Just lead on, Blue. I don't want to be around Robin right now."

"I'm sor-"

"Damn it, don't apologize!" I groaned as he winced. "Let's just go before I say something that might be technically true, but it comes off as harsh like I did to Buttons that first night. I'm a mean person."

"...I think you're in pain, not mean. A 'mean' person wouldn't have spent so much time reassuring Lissa."

"Well, pain isn't an excuse. Aren't we going to be late?"

"Right, this way." He smiled slightly. "Did I ever thank you for saving her, that day?"

"I honestly don't remember." I shrugged. "I just happened to run in the right direction. There's really no reason for thanks."

"I think otherwise. My sisters are my only family, and mean the world to me." He shook his head. "But yes, right, meeting. Frederick is going to have a lecture if I'm not back soon."

"Oh, dear, a fate worse than death." I managed a smile as he laughed. "Lead on."

* * *

"Oh dear gods, I have a headache," I groaned as Blue and I walked out of the castle. We had just gotten out of the council meeting, which had been hours of people screaming at each other in fear, barely kept in check by Blue and Emmeryn. "I… should thank you for the save." When I had explained what I knew, one particular noble had accused me of summoning the 'Risen', as we were calling them. Blue had shut him down quickly, followed by Emmeryn commenting that I was an 'honored guest', which apparently meant 'insult her again, and see what happens', except nicely, because Emmeryn didn't fight.

"I just pointed out how ridiculous the idea was," Blue replied. He looked drained. "Emm is the one who got him to see reason."

"Still, my way of shutting him up might've been a little more… permanent. I don't deal well with threats."

"Then maybe _he_ should be thanking me instead." He managed a small smile and I laughed softly. "We're almost at the Barracks. That's where Lissa and I stay."

"You don't stay in the castle with your sister?"

"No, I don't want luxuries that my Shepherds can't share, and the castle is full of them. I like the simpler things, really."

"I don't know. When I was a child living in an alley, I would've killed for something like this." I winced at how dry and bitter that came out. "I really didn't mean anything by it. Please don't ask."

"Of course." The quick way he replied told me he _had_ been planning on asking. "Regardless, that council meeting was worse than usual. No wonder that Frederick is staying back to talk to Phila and Emm about defenses." Something flitted over his face then, but I chose to not comment on it. "I hope this isn't a sign of things to come."

"We have the literal dead walking and there's war practically on your doorstep whether you all believe it or not. The only way this is getting worse is if you have an attack from Valm _or_ Grima shows up."

"Valm is the continent across the sea, right? They tend to keep to themselves." He made a face. "Yeah, I do think those things _would_ be worse. But they're also rather improbable." Well, Grima could show up, if Robin and I ever got caught by the Grimleal. "Ah, here are the Barracks." He gestured to the building up ahead, and I was startled by how simple it looked. "Here's hoping Vaike didn't break anything. Or that Maribelle didn't try to put everyone through etiquette training again. Or that there's not bunches of flower petals clogging the rooms. Or-"

"You're only going to give the gods ideas if you keep that up." I nudged his side. "Go on already. It's starting to get cold, and I don't _like_ the cold."

"Right, good idea." He still visibly steeled himself before opening the door and breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, good. It already seems better than the last time I left for a patrol." He smiled slightly and stepped to the side to usher me in. "After you."

"My, my, aren't you the gentleman?"

"Maribelle would have my head if I forgot my manners." He grinned as I rolled my eyes. "Come on. You just said you hate the cold."

"Yes, yes." I stepped inside, noticing just how warm it was in here, even in this entryway. It was very clear, by that alone, that the Shepherds had a very nice house, regardless of how it looked on the outside.

He took lead again and led me down the hallway, past some rooms that looked like storage. We passed by a little kitchen, and what looked to be the entrance to a salle. But then we stepped into a living room like area, one filled with laughter and people. The first thing I really noticed, though, was clutter. Books were scattered all over the place, as well as discarded practice weapons. Flower petals dotted the ground, armor was set strangely straight on the nearby wall… It looked lived in. It looked like a bunch of people had taken the time to make it a 'home'.

I hadn't been in a 'home' in a long time. The feeling was only reinforced when the people in the room cheered some greetings at Blue when they realized he was here. I recognized only Robin, Buttons, Red, and Ruffles in the little group, but the others were clearly very glad to see him again.

"C-captain!" One girl in particular looked very enthused. "You've returned!" she breathed, smiling widely. I was… I mean, we were so…!" She promptly tripped and fell flat on her face. "Ugh…"

"Sumia, are you all right?" Blue asked. He offered her a hand up as if this was a very normal thing. "Those boots of yours again? You really should change shoes."

"I don't think new shoes will fix my balance." She whimpered slightly as she stood, and then turned very pink as she snatched her hand away, hiding them behind her back. "I-I'm fine, though! Really!" This was definitely a girl with a crush. I was also reasonably certain Blue had no idea. "Um… oh!" She peered around Blue to stare at me. "Who's this?"

"This is Kestrel, another new Shepherd." He gestured to me, and urged me to come a little closer. I hesitated before doing so reluctantly, noticing how strangely warm the air of the room was. These people… they were not suspicious. Blue had brought me here, and they trusted Blue implicitly. He had their loyalty; that was why they were here. "She was helping me give a report for the council."

"Oh!" She smiled sweetly. "My name is Sumia. It's so nice to meet you!"

"It's nice to meet you as well," I replied automatically. While 'Klutz' was the first thing that came to mind for her, I decided that was too cruel of a nickname, so I settled on 'Petal' for the flower petals in her hair. "Oh, Captain, Sir Robin and Lissa told us about what happened."

"Why do I have a title, and not the actual princess?" Robin asked dryly. He laughed slightly, and I tried not to squirm. I _should_ be happy that he could laugh so freely, but it was just… so weird. It was weird to see him so happy. "But yes, Chrom, what's the plan? You two were in there for a very long while. I managed to get one of your Shepherds mad at me."

"Maribelle takes time to warm up to people," Blue instantly replied, sparking another round of laughter. Whoever this Maribelle was, it seemed she either had a fast temper, or was very, very honest. "But after many hours of deliberation, it was determined that we'll head to Regna Ferox."

"Regna Ferox? Where is that?"

"That's the unified country to the north of us, right?" Petal asked. She frowned slightly in thought. "I've never been. They say it's inhabited by barbarians."

"Classic Ylisse right there," I muttered as the others nodded. Thankfully, no one heard me, so I shook my head and decided to give a minor bit of clarification. "They value war, or rather strength in arms, more than anything. Feroxi believe there are multiple levels of paradise after death, and only those who die in battle or childbirth are allowed access to the highest and most peaceful level. It's the only really 'religious' thing about them, unlike Ylisse's devotion to Naga or Plegia's worship of Grima." I had heard many argue that War was Feroxi's 'official' religion and deity, though they did use the 'by the gods' generic swearing like most others on the continent. "That devotion means one key thing: they are a nation of warriors, with a standing army."

"And we need their aid to combat the new and old threats," Blue added. "Typically, it would be the Exalt who asks directly, but Emm worried at how the people would react if she suddenly went on a trip or, worse, Plegia's reaction. So, the task has been passed down to us." He shook his head. "Now, this is strictly voluntary, even more so than usual, and-" He was instantly cut off by just about everyone in the room cheerfully agreeing to the task. "...Every day, I remind myself that I am very lucky to have you all as my comrades, but today, I feel as if I am especially lucky. Thank you."

"Um… Captain, can I come along?" Petal asked. She fidgeted with her hands, and looked down at the ground. What little bits of her expression seemed miserable. "I know I'm not… really ready… but…"

"If that's what you want to do, then I have no quarrel. After all, there are some lessons that can only be learned on the battlefield." Blue shrugged. "Just stay by me, and you'll be fine."

"Oh, yes!" She flushed and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. She _definitely_ had a crush. "I mean… yes, sir, I'll do that."

"Excellent." Blue turned towards Robin. "In that case, Robin, you and I need to work on strategies for everyone. Or, at least, I need to tell you about everyone."

"Sounds good," Robin replied. He sounded enthusiastic about it. "Uh… Kestrel?" However, his enthusiasm dropped for a bit of awkwardness. "Do you want to listen in?"

"Mmm, it's probably better that I don't," I answered slowly. "I'll probably get in the way. I'm good at fighting, but tactics for more than a handful of people isn't really my forte. You were always better at it."

"In that case, I'm going to steal her!" Buttons declared. She jumped to my side and snagged my arm. "Come on! I'll show you around! Sumia, want to come with?" Petal hesitated before nodding. "Great! Let's go!"

Buttons was much stronger than you'd think, considering she managed to drag me around despite my digging my heels. At least she and Petal were cheerful enough?

* * *

Buttons and Petal ended up giving me a very, _very_ extensive tour, and extracted a promise to eat breakfast together in the morning before escorting me to 'my room'. My stuff, what little I had, had already been moved into it. It was a rather nice room. There were windows covered by thick curtains, rugs to help warm the wooden floor. The bed was soft and piled high with blankets and pillows, and there was a small desk and nightstand nearby. There was a little note from Robin on the desk, telling me that he was sorry for yelling, and that he'd tell me that in person in the morning. There was even some changes in clothes, hand-me-downs, but still good.

I'd never had a room this nice before, not even in the few inns Robin and I had managed to stay in. I had also… this was the first time I had ever had 'my' room. I was the only one here. I wasn't sharing it with anyone.

The whole thing unnerved me. I was used to being able to sit up and chat with Robin, no matter the hour. I was used to hearing the sound of someone breathing from close by, a reassurance that no matter how much the gods hated me, they had not yet left me _alone_. Except… now, I was. I _was_ alone. Robin might be with me physically, but he wasn't the same.

I, alone, knew about our past. I, alone, knew what exactly the Grimleal plotted. I, alone… couldn't find the damn courage to tell anyone about this.

Sighing, I changing out of my traveling clothes at last into something comfortable, but wasn't quite 'night clothes'. Then, I left 'my room' and wandered the barracks, hoping that the inanity and exercise would help me sleep. However, as I wandered, I heard the sound of something shattering, and bolted for it, cursing the fact that I was unarmed. I listened for any additional sounds and followed the faint clues to hopefully find what had broken, and who had broken it.

I swung into a room and paused as all the pieces came together. I was in a salle. Blue must've been practicing. The sound had been one of the mirrors lining the back wall breaking.

"That's supposed to be bad luck, you know," I noted lightly, staring at all the shards. He whirled at my voice, but relaxed quickly when he saw me. "Breaking a mirror."

"I've heard that, yeah, but isn't that just a silly superstition?" he replied. He laughed a little before grimacing. "Frederick is going to lecture me."

"Yes, a fate worse than death. Is there a broom?"

"Ah, yeah." He held up a hand as I came closer. "You stay there. You're not wearing shoes."

"Oh, I suppose I'm not." And I had to admit that even if I had lots of practice with it, digging glass out of your feet was never fun. "I didn't notice."

"I figured, since you were prepared to walk forward." He easily found the broom and dustpan in a small closet off to the side, and even more easily started sweeping up the mess.

"You have a lot of practice with this."

"I… uh… break things a lot, especially while practicing." He flushed all the way to his ears even as he dutifully continued sweeping. "A lot, actually. One of the reasons I was given Falchion was because it's literally unbreakable. I still have to maintain it, of course."

"Of course." I had figured he'd been given Falchion because the thing chose its wielder, and it had only accepted _him_ as the next one. It was a point of pride among the people, strangely enough. "Why do you break so many things? You don't seem to be klutzy."

"Well, not exactly." He fell silent, the sound of the broom and clinking glass filling the air. "I'm not 'properly' trained, really. Frederick trains me, but that's more of strengthening and conditioning sort of things. I mean; he taught me how to fight on horseback, but his specialty is the lance anyway. So, I experiment when I train, and… well…"

"You break shit." I pointed to the mirror for emphasis. "Because you misjudge how far your reach goes."

"That, and there's been a few times where I've just misjudged my footing or grip strength." He sighed heavily. "Emm gets mad, of course. For one thing, I don't always break inexpensive things, and for another, it's not uncommon for me to hurt myself."

"I can see that." Everyone might talk about Emmeryn as if she was divine incarnate, but it was easy to imagine her scolding Blue about breaking something. Maybe it was because I was a sister too. "It's strange that you're not 'properly' trained in wielding the Falchion." I gave him a curious look. "After all…"

"My father was my primary teacher." His voice dropped to a hiss suddenly, enough to make me jump. "And I will not. I will not fight like him." He glared at the broken mirror shards. "I will _not_."

The hatred in his voice was almost enough to make me shake, and I couldn't help but wonder if, perhaps, it had been no 'accident' that he had broken the mirror. After all, it was often a topic of gossip how much Blue took after his father in looks. It was normally followed with something like 'thank the heavens he inherited his mother's kindness!', but I wondered if he looked at his reflection, saw the parts he had inherited, and hated it.

I did. I hated my reflection. I looked more like Mother than my father, thankfully, but I could still see him in my reflection. I avoided looking at mirrors at all costs because of it. I couldn't imagine how much I'd hate them if I had taken more after my father.

I couldn't think of a way to reply to that, though, so I just lingered in the doorway and watched as he swept up as much of the shards as he could and discard the mess in a nearby trash bag. My eyes focused on the practice swords on the wall, and an idea bloomed in my head.

"How about a spar?" I suggested. He looked at me like he wasn't sure he heard right, and I gestured to the practice swords. "Maybe we can pick up some tricks from each other. I'm self-taught, and there's always something that 'clunks'."

"You sure?" He looked startled before smiling. "I'd like that, actually. No one else in the Shepherds fights primarily on foot and with swords."

"Be warned; I won't go easy on you."

"Good, because I intend to respond in kind." His smile softened. "And thanks, Kestrel. For listening."

"All I did was stand here." I shrugged. "Come on. Let's get the swords. I don't want to be skewered by Falchion."

"Yeah, that might be a little painful." He grinned as I snickered. "Thanks."

"There's nothing to be thanked, except maybe not damaging your pride."

* * *

 _Info on Chrom:_

 _Class - Lord; Reclass - Cavalier, Archer_

 _Typically called 'Blue' by Kestrel._

 _The Prince of Ylisse and Captain of the Shepherds. His strong convictions help him lead his unit fairly, yet firmly._

 _Primarily self-taught swordsman, who focuses on balance so that he is rarely in a situation he cannot adapt to. He also knows how to fight on horseback, thanks to training from Frederick._

 _Seems oblivious to just how much love and devotion he inspires, blind to both the loyalty of his Shepherds and the crushes of other people, like Sumia._

* * *

Author's Note: So, this chapter encompasses the dialogue from Chapter 1's closing, and parts of Chapter 2's opening (before setting off, of course). Also, Chrom-Kestrel C support! ...Sorta. I'm going ahead and stating that I'm not using his supports with a Female!Avatar for Kestrel, as they don't fit Kestrel's personality at all. Phila doesn't wear a necklace, according to her art, but Cordelia and Sumia do, so I'm 'adding' it to her. Kestrel's dialogue about 'masquerading as humans' is based off of dialogue from Future Past 3. I am taking some Norse influences for Ferox. The first line Virion quotes isn't actually a poem, but the start of a famous line from Romeo and Juliet. The second is a poem a friend of mine showed me: Desire by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Also major thanks to another dear friend who helped me write flirtatious Virion.

Next Chapter - Shepherds


	4. Chapter 2) Shepherds

Chapter 2) Shepherds

* * *

 _And so we head for Ferox. Ferox is a large country to the north, divided into East and West and both ruled by Khans. I wonder if the Shepherds know anything about Ferox and its politics, but I doubt it. Ylisse is isolationistic, and Petal's comment about 'barbarians' makes it clear that they've barely learned even basics._

 _Ah, diplomatic incidents in the making. That's us! (Gods, help us.)_

* * *

All was calm inside my tent. Outside was chaos, but I ignored it all as I lounged on some pillows, a luxury that I greatly enjoyed, and sharpened my sword. The sound of the whetstone over the iron was soothing, even as I noticed the signs of it reaching the end of its durability. I would have to buy a new one soon. A shame, but a needed one. I only hoped I had enough gold to buy a decent one.

"You've been frowning for some time," Robin noted. I glanced up to see him watching me closely. He and I had drawn the lucky stones to avoid the 'lunch camp' chores, and thus, we were both relaxing in my tent, with him reading through bunches of books and me tending to our weapons. "Is anything wrong?"

"I'm surprised you noticed with how enthralled you are with your book," I teased, mostly to avoid answering. It really wasn't important. "What are you reading anyway?"

"Well…" He held up the book to let me read the title, and pouted slightly when I just gave him a look. "Come on! You can read!"

"Just tell me. We're having a conversation."

"Mean." He grinned, though. . "It's a tactics book!"

"I got that." I rolled my eyes and he laughed. I was slowly, _slowly_ , getting used to hearing him laugh so much. "What is it, though?"

"Oh, right." His grin somehow widened. "It's a book of tactics that analyzes the strategies used by Lady Katri during something called the Campaign of Fire. Whatever that is."

"It's an old history-legend thing. Hard to separate fact from fiction there."

"But the tactics are amazing! And she made it through with minimal casualties!" His eyes sparkled and he nearly knocked over the stack of books next to him as he gestured wildly. "Virion was right. It _is_ fascinating."

"Figures Ruffles gave it to you." I frowned as his cheer faded and set my sword and whetstone to the side. "What?"

"It's just…" He visibly groped for words before sighing. "Nicknames."

"Huh?"

"Nicknames. You call everyone by nicknames."

"I… do, yes?" I didn't call Emmeryn by a nickname, but he didn't know that. "Why bring it up?"

"Because… I've noticed something the others haven't yet. I don't know if I'm just… more observant, or if it's a lingering…" He grimaced, and I tried not to wince. "But, these nicknames aren't affectionate."

"Pardon?"

"It's not like with Sully. That's a nickname, yes, because she dislikes her birthname, Soiree."

"That's a rather pretty name, but I can see why she'd dislike it." I hadn't known 'Sully' was a nickname, and was a bit curious as to why she had it.

"Stop trying to distract me." His eyes narrowed. "It's a wall. A barrier. You give them nicknames to avoid getting close. You give them nicknames, because their 'names' make them real and, for some reason, you just want them to stay faceless strangers."

I tried not to stiffen. He was right, but I wasn't going to admit it. "What an odd claim. What makes you say that?"

"You don't call _me_ by a nickname."

"You're my twin."

"Am I? Or am I just a stranger wearing his face?!" He raised his voice suddenly, and I automatically flinched. Robin never yelled, and it flat out _scared_ me how much he sounded, and looked, like our father when he did. "Damn it, why do you keep your distance from everyone, Kestrel? They just want to get to know you!"

"Well, that's all fine and good, but keeping distance was always safer!" For everyone else. Our first friends were massacred by the Grimleal.

"Then why are you here?"

"Because you _asked_ me, dumbass!" Something just snapped in my head. "You _asked_ me, because you wanted to 'learn about me' or something! I'm sorry I'm messed up from the past _you_ got to forget! I'm sorry for being mad at your complete change in personality! I'm sorry that you don't _get_ a pretty little sister who worships your every breath! I'm sorry you get a broken mess of a twin, but gods damn it all, you _don't_ get to complain about how I act because _you don't know a fucking thing about me anymore_!"

As he stared in shock, I snatched up all his books and threw them out of my tent, before shoving him after them. He protested something, but I tied the flap shut and threw a bunch of pillows at it to both make sure it was properly closed _and_ to give an impression of 'slamming the door shut' without having an actual door to slam.

Then I buried myself into the pillows and burst into tears, using them to muffle the sound. I just had no idea what to do anymore.

* * *

I hid in my tent all through lunch. I didn't even know who cooked, as I didn't eat at all. I could go a while without food. Grima liked his Vessels strong and durable, and I had reaped the lion's share of _that_ little trait, even if I wasn't a 'perfect vessel'. I could bleed more, and just last longer, than most. It was a trait that kept me alive far longer than my lack of armor should allow. Robin had always called it an asset, a blessing, much like how he was just fast and could cast spells quickly. I always called it a curse, as it meant I lived when others didn't. But it was useful for when I skipped out on meals.

When we left camp, I purposely kept my distance from everyone as we walked up the Northroad, heading straight for one of the border fortresses. Whenever someone ventured close, I curled into myself in a silent plea to stay away. Luckily, the ones who did took the hint, and left me alone. Even Virion gave me my space, though he also, somehow, managed a sympathetic, flirtatious wink. I had no idea how.

Sighing, I tugged my cloak tighter around me and took note of just where… everyone was. Petal, for instance, was riding with Shiny, chatting happily about something she read. Buttons skipped along merrily, humming a rather jaunty little tune as she entertained those who listened with stories about a prank she'd pulled on her sister a few weeks ago. Blue and Robin talked quietly, bent towards each other with slight smiles and laughter, even as their eyes were serious. I smiled slightly, glad that Robin had a friend, even as I felt… horribly jealous. We'd only ever had each other before now. It felt weird, 'sharing' Robin, especially when… we had the Heir to Naga and the Hero-King, Wielder of the Falchion, chatting happily with the Perfect Vessel of Grima, Destined to bring about the end of humanity. It was weird. I felt like it was all too… nice. Too peaceful. Too… _everything_. It was like someone was offering me a bouquet of flowers, when all I had seen before were withered, dead and rotting. It just didn't feel real. It felt wrong. It all just felt so wrong, but I couldn't explain that. I didn't have the words for it.

The sound of hooves caught my ear, mostly because of how distant and frantic they sounded. I paused and turned, frowning as I noticed a single rider heading straight for us. That seemed… odd. It had only been a couple of days since we left Ylisse. There shouldn't be a messenger yet.

"A lone rider?" Blue came to my side, frowning too. "If it was a message, Emm would've sent a pegasus knight," he murmured. I glanced around to see that the group had stopped. "Who…?"

"W-wait for me!" the rider shouted then, as if he'd noticed that we weren't going anywhere. "Hey!" The rider slowed his horse from a gallop to a walk, sighing in relief. "Oh, finally, I caught up." Noticing his green armor, and green-grey hair, I instantly dubbed him 'Green' and wondered why so many Ylisseans dressed in a single color that matched their hair so perfectly. "Ah, hello, Captain Chrom. I'm glad to see you're well."

"Stahl!" Blue cried with a giant grin. He clapped Green on the back as Green dismounted. "I was wondering why you weren't with us. Did you get distracted by breakfast and miss the marching time?"

"No, I _skipped_ breakfast to catch up!" Green looked some combination of laid-back, exasperated, and a little hurt. But the group itself seemed to relax. Whoever Green was, it was clear he was something of a peacemaker. "Why was I not told about this expedition?"

"You… weren't?" Blue looked confused. "That's… Lissa?" He turned to Buttons, who was also frowning heavily. "Lissa, you were the one who arranged messengers to the Shepherds who weren't with us at the Barracks, yes?"

"Yeah, I was," Buttons answered. She sounded annoyed. "The 'Teach' over here was _supposed_ to tell Stahl, but clearly, that was too much for him! I bet he forgot again!"

"Hey, the Vaike never forgets!" 'The Vaike' immediately protested. I prided myself in trying to avoid him to the point that I didn't even want to come up with a nickname. He reminded me far too much of the men in taverns who liked to grope and then protested when I broke their fingers in retaliation. But if I had to, I'd go with Blondie. "I just… don't always remember, is all…"

"Ugh, I swear, Vaike, you'd forget your own name if you weren't saying it all the time!" She glowered and stomped her foot. "Did you remember your axe this time?"

"Hey, that was one time!" Blondie paused. "Okay, two, but training sessions don't count. But anyway, I've got it right here!" He brandished his axe for emphasis, and I tried to figure out who thought having an idiot with an axe as a soldier was a good idea. "Teach is loaded and ready for action!" His bravado faded as he looked to Green. "But… I'm sorry, Stahl. I-"

"It's fine," Green instantly reassured. "Well, I'm a bit annoyed still, but I know you didn't mean anything by it." He grinned. "You can make it up by sharing some snacks!" He snapped his fingers, though, and turned to Blue. "Oh, Miriel is also on her way. She ended up finishing her experiment faster than she'd anticipated. I think." He made a face. "You know how she is."

Green was soon dragged over by Red to chatter about something, and we all had an impromptu break, mostly to give Green's horse some time to rest and graze on some nearby grass. I hung back, just as I had before, and noticed how… just damn _nice_ Green seemed to be. He was calm and reassuring, asking far more about others than he answered about himself. That made me… nervy. Most overly nice people I'd encountered were secretly serial killers and psychopathic manipulators. While he could be genuine, since he was a Shepherd and all… well, Blue had taken in two complete strangers, one of which was an amnesiac and one of which was a girl who knew far more than she had the courage to say, and surely even _he_ had figured that out. Yet, here we were. On a diplomatic mission. Given free reign.

"You doing all right, Kestrel?" Blue even gave _plenty_ of opportunity for me to attack! He just came over to my side, away from the others. "Kestrel?" He was damn luck that I wasn't of the Grimleal, as with a single dagger, or curse, or a bit of poison, I'd remove one of the greatest threats to Grima. All of which I had on me. "Kestrel?"

"Yes?" I finally replied. I tried not to squirm, and hoped he didn't realize I'd been thinking of how easy it would be to kill him. "What is it?"

"I asked how you were doing," he repeated. He peered at me worriedly. "I know you said you were a traveler, but… well, we're a loud bunch at the best of times, and nerves make us worse and-"

"I'm fine." The lie was easy. "Regardless…" I pointed to Green, who was in the middle of laughing with Buttons and Blondie. "That is…?"

"Stahl, one of our most reliable soldiers." Blue grinned. "I'm incredibly glad he's with us. I always feel safer."

"Even more than with Shiny?"

"'Shiny' likes to lecture." He grinned and I couldn't help but laugh a little. "Not very safe."

"Perhaps you shouldn't give him so much to lecture about?" I laughed again as he groaned. "And who is this Miriel mentioned?"

"A powerful mage, brilliant if socially awkward. She experiments often." Blue crossed his arms. "She'd initially refused because she was in the middle of a delicate one."

"Like what?"

"Hell if I know. Keep a dictionary handy when you talk to her. You'll need it."

"Okay?" I might've asked, but then I noticed something. Something glinted from the branches, and my eyes widened as I realized it was the tip of an arrow. At first, I thought it was aimed for Blue, and I pushed him back before realizing the arrow wasn't aimed at him at all. It was aimed at Buttons, but Robin had just moved in the path.

I lunged without thinking, hoping to knock Robin off balance, and get all three of us out of the path. I… mostly succeeded. Buttons and Robin were fine, but the arrow slammed into the small area between my neck and collarbone, knocking the air out of me.

"Kestrel!" Robin caught me as I buckled. "Virion, get that archer!" he snapped, shifting to bear most of my weight. "Kestrel, can you hear me?" Some gasps and cheers told me that Ruffles had been successful. "Lissa, I know you're shocked, but I need you to unfreeze and-"

"Don't waste... heal charge," I gasped out. My vision was a little grey from the pain, and I grimaced as I remembered the caveat of being able to survive a lot of damage. It meant enduring a lot of pain. "Just… cut it out… bandage... little vulnerary... be fine."

"But-"  
"Tactician. Battle. Now."

"...Right, of course." Still, he made sure to give me a hug, careful to not jostle the arrow, even as Blue snapped for everyone to fall into formation. "Kestrel."

"Robin, there is literally a-"

"I love you, sister." The words were soft, but certain, and they made me freeze. "I should've said that before. That's one of the few things I remember." He tightened his hug. "Your name, Chrom's, and that I love you, and I want you to be happy. I'm sorry I snapped. I just… want you to be happy."

"...Is now... really the time... to be making apologies?" Still, I sighed, and leaned into him. It was easy. I'd done this a lot, when I'd been injured in the past. "I'm sorry… too… I should've tried... to listen instead of just… falling back on how... things used to be."

"I'm sorry things have to be different, but I'll make them better. We'll make them better. You'll see." His tone was so earnest that I didn't know if I wanted to laugh or cry. He just… didn't know, and I couldn't find the energy or courage to tell him that we were cursed children. "Get your injury tended to, and at least have Lissa look over it."

"Fine, fine..." I was tired of arguing. "Oh, right. Almost forgot..." I pulled away slightly and managed a smile. "Love you too, brother."

His resulting smile almost made getting shot worth it. Almost.

* * *

Because of the suddenness of the battle, Petal was ordered to steer clear of the field. As a result, she was tasked with helping Ruffles cutting the arrow out of me, and bandaging it. I bloodied my lip to keep from screaming, since I stupidly told them to not use numbing herbs. I was used to that costing extra, instead of being something free. Then, leaving Ruffles to guard the unarmed Petal, I picked up my sword and jumped into the battle against the Risen.

"Are you certain you should be fighting?" Blue asked as we found a bit of a breather. On Robin's orders, we were fighting together, back to back, taking care of the Risen that slipped past the three mounted units, who were _trying_ to charge through the lines to get the leader. Robin and Blondie were on the other side of the road, doing the same thing, while Buttons ran around frantically healing and trying to not die. "You were just injured."

"Blue, if you ask that one more time, I'm going to tell you exactly where to shove it," I snapped. The first time was nice, the second was maybe endearing, but I got tired after the twelfth time. "There's a battle."

"I know that!" He sounded aggravated, but I didn't turn to face him to confirm. "But arrows aren't things to just shrug off!"

"Based on where it hit me? It's just annoying. Trust me."

"Trust has _nothing_ to do with my worry. You survived with just Robin for longer than I like. You're clearly capable."

"Than _you_ like?" Now I glanced back, giving him an incredulous look as he grimaced. "What, you have to approve of my past now?"

"No, that's not it!" He shook his head, making what hair wasn't plastered to his face fly about. "I just… look, is it bad that I wish you and Robin had a more stable childhood?"

"You don't know us."

"That doesn't mean I can't wish you had better lives!"

"Are you two flirting or fighting?" Blondie suddenly drawled. Blue rolled his eyes while I glared. "C'mon, get a room!" He grinned broadly, as if we weren't in the middle of a battle against strangely not-smelly corpses that evaporated. "I know she's lovely, Chrom, but-"

"Vaike, don't drop your guard," Blue snapped. I glanced around and noticed Robin giving us all a 'what is going on?' look, and I shrugged when he caught my eye. "And don't drop your weapon."

"I didn't drop anything. It's right…" Blondie yelped as he waved his arm wildly. No axe in sight. "What the-?! Where's my axe?!"

"Please tell me you're joking."

"I had it a second ago!" Blondie started looking around frantically. "Seriously, I just had it! I cleaved a skull in two!"

"How is he not dead yet?" I groaned as Blondie continued to yelp and search frantically. I glanced at Blue. "Why is he here?"

"Believe it or not, he is skilled, when he manages to remember his weapon," Blue answered. He looked exasperated. "And he's here because he wishes to be."

"If he gets someone killed, I _will_ yell at you."

"He's not going to get Robin killed."

"I said 'someone', not 'Robin'. My life doesn't completely revolve around my twin. I wouldn't be guarding your back if that was the case, Robin's orders or not. I'm _used_ to ignoring him when he's being all order-y."

"I was more talking about how Robin is fighting with him, but good to know!"

I might've retorted, but then I noticed something strange. A woman holding an axe in one hand and a tome in the other walked down the road, absently looking around. "Hey," I whispered, pointing at her. Blue turned and sighed when he saw the woman. "Know her?"

"Yes, I do," Blue answered. He waved his arm, catching her attention. "Miriel, over here. Why do you have Vaike's axe?"

"Oh, do I?" the woman replied. She frowned slightly as she caught up. In the distance, I heard the others fighting, with Robin having switched to protecting Buttons. "I had wondered what sort of ignoramus had mislaid their weapon. Now I know." The woman's eyes narrowed as she handed the axe to an ecstatic Blondie. "Perhaps I should fashion a spell to fasten it to your hand. Permanently."

"You can't do that, Miriel." Blue said the words easily, even as Blondie squeaked a bit in fright. "For one, you promised no human experimentation. For two, it's impossible."

"Well, for her, perhaps, but not in general," I noted absently, more focused on trying to remember what the name of the wire and glass contraption Miriel was wearing was called. It was something relatively new, and only the rich could afford owning a pair. She also wore a very, _very_ ridiculous hat. "It'll involve dark magic and a curse, though." Automatically, I thought of Mother, and how she had done that very thing with one of our pursuers. Then she'd overwhelmed their mind and turned them against their fellows.

"Fascinating," Miriel murmured. Her eyes narrowed. "You bear considerable knowledge of curses, then?"

"Nope." It was easy lying through my teeth. I knew a lot about curses. Unlike Robin, _I_ had been taught dark magic. "Oh, look, a corpse is trying to eat us now. Back to fighting."

"A cunning distraction, but-" She squeaked as Blue and I snagged her shoulders and shoved her down as a Risen that had appeared from nowhere tried to bite her neck. "Ah. Most troublesome."

This was going to be a long, long battle.

* * *

Thankfully, with the addition of another mage, Robin got us all through the battle without suffering more than minor injuries. Unfortunately, this meant that my initial arrow wound, aggravated by the fighting, was the 'worst', and thus, I was stuck in a tent with Buttons and Petal after we all set up camp for the night. Good news was that I was excused from camp chores, but it did mean I had to deal with Buttons fussing far too much over a tiny little hole near my neck.

"Oh, I hope it doesn't scar," she sighed, dabbing some disinfectant on my injury. I'd won the argument against her using a healing staff, mostly by pointing out that she didn't have that many left in her staff, and we still had quite the journey ahead. "My teachers always said that was the worst thing that could happen to a girl."

"Your teachers need to get their heads out of their asses," I instantly deadpanned. I sighed as she gave me a slightly confused look. Her status as 'princess' sheltered her from some things, it seemed. "Later, when I'm not quite as tired, I'll tell you, or you may ask someone else. I'm liable to be horrifically blunt, and it's a sensitive topic."

"Okay?" She still looked a little confused before shrugging. "I'll trust you. You're _way_ more travelled than I am. Plus you're older. Not as old as Emm, but Emm doesn't talk to me about worldly stuff. It's all about 'how are you?' and 'please stop putting frogs in nobles' pillows when they make me sad'."

"...Remember what I said about playing pranks on me?"

"Don't do it, because you're liable to accidentally hurt me, right?" She grinned, still working on cleaning my injury. "It's fine. Robin's a much better target anyway! His face has this funny rubbery thing going on!" She shook her head and tossed a pillow at Petal, who was sighing at something nearby. "Sumia! Talk to us!"

"Eep!" Petal squeaked, somehow managing to fall despite reclining on some other pillows. Her book flew up and then hit her directly in the face. "Oof…" She whimpered a little as she pushed herself up, giving Buttons a little hurt look. "I was in the middle of such a touching scene, too…"

Buttons simply laughed, but I focused on the book, noting the title. 'Ribald Tales of the Faith War'... that was a book I'd read about a year ago, mostly curious because of the sheer outrage that had erupted over its publishing. Someone didn't like taking 'the legendary Holy War of Jugdral', long used as a justification for the hatred of Plegia because of the easy parallels between Loptyr and Grima, even longer upheld as borderline _scripture_ , as… well, the basis of some very, _very_ smutty scenes. The book was very popular with girls, from my understanding.

"Where are you in it?" I asked, mostly so that Petal had something to focus on besides Buttons and her snorting laughter. "The Spirit Forest? Augustria?"

"Oh, I've read it four times already, but I'm at Sigurd's confession to Deidre," Petal instantly gushed. She sighed, clutching the book to her chest. "So romantic…"

I wasn't as certain on how 'romantic' it was. Then again, how fast the two 'fell in love' always just… bothered me. "I suppose. It's their later scenes that sold me on them."

"Oh, yes, I love the scene where…" She trailed off, eyes wide. "You've read it?!"

"Yeah, a bit ago."

"Yay!" She slid a little closer to me, eyes sparkling. "So, who's your favorite? No, wait, different question. Which character do you feel sorrier for?"

"Sorrier?"

"Yeah!"

"...Okay then." I had to admit that was an unusual question, but I had nothing else to do while Buttons continued tending to my injury. I was just stuck sitting here among the pillows, after all. "Well, I always felt the most pity for Julius, truthfully, with Julia as a close second." Maybe it was because I was similar to Julius, but I had a parent who intervened before Grima could sink his claws into my brain. Maybe it was, like Julia, I was the twin to a 'perfect vessel', and if the Grimleal got their way, I'd lose my twin, just as she lost hers. "I think Deidre is up there, though."

"All of them, really, are pitiable when you look at everything." Petal frowned, and gave a pointed look at Buttons. "I've been _trying_ to get Princess Lissa to read it."

"Is she even old enough? I've read it. I _know_ what sort scenes are in there."

"I-It's very educational on that front!" Petal's face went bright red with a blush, even as she looked quite serious. "But it's got more than that!"

"True." I looked up at Buttons. "You might benefit from the sections focusing on Lady Alicia, actually. She was the primary healer during the first generation."

"Exactly!" Petal leaned a little forward. "Well, truthfully, I actually chose to stop my Cleric training because of them. I realized while reading those scenes that there was no way I could manage. What with the blood and stress and death and…" She shuddered. "I don't have the right mindset for it." She drooped a little. "I'm… well… a bit of a coward and..."

"...It takes courage and wisdom to realize what suits you and what does not." I shook my head. "Far better to realize it now, than in a moment where it would be needed, Sumia."

She blinked slowly, and I wasn't sure she was more surprised by my encouragement, or that I called her by name. "Th-thank you…" She eventually just chose to blush prettily. "That's… um…"

"Wow, you're good, Kestrel!" Buttons chirped, putting down her cleaning-wound-utensils and wrapping my injury up in a bandage. "There!" Task done, she promptly plopped down next to me, stealing a pillow. "But see how pretty she is? Sumia, I mean. You'd think that even my brother would-"

"D-don't finish that sentence!" Pe… Sumia yelped. Her blush deepened. "I just… the Captain just… b-besides, whoever marries him will be Queen, likely, eventually, and… and..."

"You'd make a kind Queen! And you've got the rank, as the daughter of a Viscount!"

"B-but… Lissa, there's no way!"

"B… Lissa, ease up," I chided. Bu… Lissa immediately stilled when I used her name. "You'll make her die of embarrassment at this rate."

"...That's fun, though!" Lissa laughed. She leaned into me. "But fine, fine. You two. Tell me more about these Ribald Tale thingys. Maribelle refused to tell me anything. Something about scandalous."

As the three of us talked, I made a bit of effort to make sure I actually used their names, instead of the nicknames.I doubted I could do it with most of the others. But, Robin… I got what he'd been trying to say. Putting up a wall wasn't going to be… healthy or helpful to me. We were no longer in a situation where we could really run. Well, _I_ could, but I would leave him behind, and I couldn't do that. Not when I, alone, knew all of our secrets, secrets that could become deadly, in time, even if I was too much of a coward to tell him. So, maybe he was right. Maybe we could make things better. Maybe Destiny could change.

And maybe Grima could actually be killed, but according to the legends, _that_ was impossible, so… yeah.

* * *

 _Info on Lissa:_

 _Class - Cleric; Reclass - Troubadour, Pegasus Knight_

 _Sometimes called 'Buttons' by Kestrel_

 _The Princess of Ylisse, born after her father's sudden death. Due to her royal upbringing, she is an accomplished rider of both horses and pegasi, though she prefers staying on foot._

 _Despite being Chrom's little sister, she is noted for being incredibly approachable, without even the formal accent common to most Ylissean nobles. Combined with her tendency to snort when laughing, a rather 'unladylike' trait that is normally trained out of noble girls her age, many forget she even is a princess._

 _Still, despite her naivety and childishness, she is eager to prove herself useful, being quite skilled with a Heal Staff. Whether or not she keeps this up after seeing a real war infirmary remains to be seen._

* * *

Author's note: And here's the chapter where the trading tutorial is used to rather cleverly enhance character's personalities. 'Ribald Tales of the Faith War', based off Genealogy of the Holy War, is mentioned in Sumia's supports as her favorite book. There's nothing in-game that suggests 'Sully' is a nickname; I just think 'Soiree' sounds more like something someone would _actually_ name their kid. Sumia being the daughter of a Viscount isn't mentioned in game (actually, I'm not sure if Sumia is ever mentioned to being of nobility). Miriel being from a rich family is also headcanon, because of how expensive glasses could be back in the day.

Katri is a pseudo-canon character to FE7, taking the place of the cardboard tactician in my FE7 Novelization ( _A Tactician's Testimony)_. Alicia is not a canon character to FE4; she's the protagonist, and POV char, for my FE4 Novelization ( _Memoirs of the Holy War)_.

Next Chapter - Interlude, Road


	5. Interlude - Road

Interlude - Road

* * *

 _So, after encountering Risen and gaining more to our little party, one of whom I avoid like the plague because she is far too nosy, our group makes its slow way north. Though winter is still a couple months away, snow starts to fall, coating the road in ice and mud. Snow is rather rare this time of year for Ylisse, especially for Ylisstol, far to the south, so the Ylisseans gaze upon the snow in enchanted wonder._

 _I, however, spend too much time reminding people that there was this thing called 'frostbite' and was utterly convinced Blondie was going to freeze to death because he refused to wear a damn shirt. Something about it being a crime to hide his 'amazing abs'. Whatever._

* * *

There was laughter and shrieking and I glanced up from my book briefly to make sure no one was dying before returning to reading. Sumia had _eagerly_ lent me her copy of _Ribald Tales of the Faith War_ , with sparkling eyes that promised she'd ask me loads of questions, so I wanted to go ahead and read through it, especially since I had the great luxury of _time to read_. It used to be that I would take over a year to read even one chapter, because I could only read a few sentences in between jobs or when hiding from the Grimleal. Now, I could spend an entire afternoon just… reading. It was so weird, yet I couldn't help but love it.

"...Hey, Kestrel?" Robin's voice drew me from the riveting scene of Sigurd and Deidre's wedding, and I glanced up to see him looking a little thoughtful as he glanced up from his own book, the same tactics book Ruffles lent him. "Did we ever… do this in the past?" he asked softly. "Just sit in quiet, reading?"

"Not… recently?" I answered slowly. I frowned a bit and pushed myself up on the pile of pillows I was reclining against. We were in the tent Robin shared with Bl… Chrom, but Robin had raided the nearby tents for extra pillows, just for me, so there was a veritable ocean of pillows in the tent now. "We would curl up under blankets and read while Mom cooked, but we never really had the time, or luxury, to do so after she died."

"I see."

"Why?"

"I just… had a feeling of familiarity?" He sighed, running a hand through his very messy hair. "Like we had done this, but it was… you know… just the two of us." He smiled wryly. "Maybe it was a dream I had. Something I had wanted to do. Just sit, and read in the quiet, with friends laughing at something in the distance."

"Maybe." I smiled a little. "Sounds like something you would've wanted."

"Well, I get it now." He grinned and I laughed. "Kestrel, do you mind if I ask about…" He trailed off as I tensed automatically. "It won't be much. Promise. I was just curious which of our parents had white hair. You've a lovely auburn, and there's some part of me that associates it with 'mother', so did I get it from our… very mean father?"

"...No." I set the book down and gathered all of my courage to say… even a little bit. "You were born with black hair, like our father. But he…" My hands shook, but I tried to disguise it by fussing with the book. "Our father… tried to use us… use you… in a magic ritual. As a sacrifice."

"What kind?"

"I…" I tried, but shook my head. "Sorry. I can't…" I was too much of a coward. "I'm sorry."

"No, no." Robin moved to my side and hugged me. "No, don't be sorry. I just wanted to see if I could look it up. Don't worry. So, did my hair turn white afterwards?"

"Yes… as a side effect of so much magic channelling through you." Hesitantly, I leaned into him. "Sorry."

"No, it's fine. I'm sorry that I don't remember. I'm sorry you have to bear that knowledge alone." His hug tightened on me. "I'm sorry."

"How about we're both sorry?"

"Fine. I clearly can't win an argument against my twin." He pulled back and grinned, and I managed a little smile. "So… oh." He turned to the tent flap. "Who would be running-?"

"ROBIN!" Lissa burst through the tent flap, snow dotting her pigtails and dress. "Come on!" she cheered, snagged him by the arm and pulling him out of the tent. "Come play!"

I could only stare, and laugh, as Robin flailed about, unable to break out of Lissa's grip despite being over a head taller and at least twice as broad. I was still laughing as Bl… Chrom walked up, snow dusting his hair and armor, dripping from his cape. "If you came to get Robin, Lissa beat you to it," I joked, hiding my smile behind my hand. "Sorry?"

"No, there's nothing to be sorry about," he replied, looking distinctly amused. However, it fell when he looked at me. "Mind if I ask you a question?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"What do you think of, when you see the snow?" He gestured to the snow outside for emphasis. "I'm curious."

"The snow?" I hesitated before looking out over the laughing camp, watching Lissa teach Robin how to make and throw a snowball and the others laughing as they bombarded each other. "I think of cold. I think of frostbitten hands and desperately trying to get warm. I think of threadbare blankets and curling into others in a desperate attempt to not freeze to death. I think of ice and sliding on my face as I tried to run from scary people and scarier guards. I think of frozen rivers cracking and almost drowning. I think of hunger, of how there is less to forage. I think of having a steady supply of fresh water at last." I shook my head and tightened my cloak around me. "I… think a lot of things, when the snow falls. Winters aren't easy for those without shelter."

"I… see…" He gave me an almost mournful, almost pitiful look. But then it disappeared for bright eyes and brighter grin. "Well, then, you are very overdue for a snowball fight." He took my hand and dragged me out of the tent. "Come on! Virion, Kestrel's going to be on our team!"

"Oh, is she now?" Ruffles cried. It took me a second to find him, as he'd apparently built a snow wall to hide behind, but I found him quickly when he stood up to dramatically gesture. "Ah, what a fortuitous encounter! Surely, we shall find glory with such a goddess of victory on our side!" He promptly fell, though, hit in the face by a snowball that seemed to have been thrown from nowhere. "AUGH!"

"Well, there he goes," Bl-Chrom deadpanned. I couldn't help but giggle. "Come on. I'm sure he'll-"

"Hold on one moment, my lord." Shiny appeared out of freaking nowhere and wrapped a scarf around B-Chrom's neck. "There we are," he continued, even as B-Chrom made a face. "We can't have you catching a cold, my lord."

"Yes, yes." Chrom rolled his eyes, and left to help Ruffles up.

I went to follow, but Shiny wrapped a blue and silver scarf around my neck, carefully making sure it was tucked in and wouldn't get caught on anything. "What's this?" I asked, a little confused. I reached up to touch it, and found it soft.

"Oh, I made you a scarf as well, since I figured you didn't have one," Shiny answered easily. He frowned a bit as he fussed over the placement. "I made sure the primary color was blue, since you told Sir Robin that it was your favorite color, while the silver goes with your cloak and clothes."

"You… knitted this?"

"Yes?" He gave me a curious look. "Is that a problem?"

"N-no, it's not! I..." I hesitated before whispering. "Sorry, just… the last time anyone _made_ anything for me was… gods, Mom was still alive. It's been over ten years. So, I was just…" I shook my head. "Besides, I know you're still wary and all."

"Of course. But being wary does not mean I wish for you to freeze." He looked more confused as I continued to stare. "Now what is it?"

"...It's…" I hesitated again before just going for it. "Okay, this sounds weird, but you sound, voice wise, a lot like my father. Except you don't say any of the same things. Which is a very good thing! A very, _very_ good thing!" I was definitely babbling. "Sorry, I'll get used to it. Just a little weirded out, because-"

"My voice is similar to someone you expect only pain from." He smiled sadly. "Prince Chrom deals with that with some of the older citizens. Sadly, he looks, and sounds, much like his father. He does what he can, but…"

"Yeah, I can relate. I can see my father in my face, even knowing I look more like Mom." I shook my head. "Regardless! Thank you very much for the scarf. I greatly appreciate it and I'm sorry for not being more immediate in my manners."

"You are quite welcome." He bowed and walked off, likely to pass out more handmade scarves to the Shepherds.

As he left, I wrapped the scarf around my neck, and used it to hide my smile. Having someone _make_ things for me… it really made me feel like I could find a home again. But my smile faded as I remembered all the things I was hiding from them. If they knew the truth, they'd likely chase me away, or kill me themselves.

I was scared. I was terrified, really, far more terrified than I had been when it was just Robin and me alone, running away from the Grimleal. Now, I had something to _lose_ , and gods, I didn't want to lose this. This warmth, this… everything still didn't feel real, but gods, I wished it was. It was wrong, yet I wanted it, because this was the sort of life I could've had if I'd been _human_ , and not a _Vessel_.

I wished I had run. Living to die was all the easier when you thought no one could ever be kind.

* * *

Existential crisis aside, the eventual snowball 'fight' was fun, though I had no idea who 'won'. Maybe that wasn't the point, since no one talked about wins or losses, but boasted instead of throws and hilarious falls. Virion had some of the most impressive shots, but the most falls went to Sumia, easily.

But after everyone was thoroughly soaked, and changed into dry clothes, I started making dinner alongside Green, and passed the food out. As I did, though, I noticed Robin, Lissa, Sumia, and Chrom were missing. So, after posting word to Shi… Frederick, I hunted for any sort of tracks to try and find them. Luckily, though, the four of them were together, and not far off.

I frowned, though, when I saw they were clustered around a pegasus, with Sumia calming it down. I had… no idea why a pegasus would be all the way out here. There weren't many wild pegasi anymore, thanks to the war forcing many to be captured, broken, and used. Logically, it would mean this pegasus once had a rider, and that the rider was… no longer here. Dead, but likely not long, as otherwise, the pegasus would've gone back to Ylisstol, or turned feral.

"Oh, Kestrel!" Robin called, waving when he saw me. He grinned broadly, eyes dancing. "Look! We found a pegasus! Sumia's amazing with animals, it seems, and she calmed it right down!"

"I see," I replied, keeping my tone light and making certain I smiled. "But don't you four know that you're missing dinner? Blondie's probably eating your shares right now."

"Wait, it's dinner?" Lissa asked. Her stomach grumbled right on cue, making her blush, while the rest of the group laughed. "...Food time, now!"

"You go on ahead," Sumia called. She settled next to the pegasus and gently began prodding its side for any signs of injuries and discomfort. "I'll eat a bit later. I don't eat much anyway. Got to keep my figure and all."

"Sumia, your figure is perfect already." Lissa stuck her tongue out as Sumia blushed prettily. "Chrom, don't you agree?"

"Uh… sure?" Chrom answered, looking a little startled. He glanced at Robin, who started snickering. "I have no idea, actually? But I'll take your word for is, Lissa."

"Ugh, you're the worst," Lissa retorted, sulking. Sumia, meanwhile, just turned redder and redder, shooting hesitant looks at the increasingly confused Chrom. "Whatever. Come on, Robin. Let's leave him and his obliviousness behind."

"What did I do?" Chrom groaned as Lissa refused to answer, hooking her arm around Robin's to drag him off. "Seriously, what did I do?" He glanced down at Sumia, whose face was as red as an apple, and frowned. "Wait, Sumia, are you okay?"

"Y-yes!" Sumia instantly squeaked. She ducked her head shyly. "You're fine! I mean; I'm fine! I mean… oh…"

"I think we should leave to go eat," I suggested. I smiled at her, and she gave me a grateful look back. "Are you certain you wish to wait? I wasn't kidding about Blondie."

"I'll be fine. I _really_ want to check on this poor dear."

"If you're certain. I'll do my best to save you a bowl."

"Thanks!" She beamed before turning back to the pegasus, crouching down and stroking her nose, gently cooing.

Chrom and I exchanged a look and a shrug, and started to walk off, leaving Sumia behind. However, as we walked away, the implications of the pegasus weighed heavy on my mind, and so, I stopped and called, "Chrom?" I waited as he turned to face me. "Did Emmeryn send a messenger to Ferox to let them know we were coming?"

"...Yes," he whispered. His dark eyes told me he had already come to a similar conclusion. "She sent two, actually. One to ask them if they were in trouble, immediately after the Risen started showing up. That one never returned. The other was sent shortly before we left."

"I see." I glanced back at Sumia and the pegasus, noticing how easily the pegasus took to her. While some of it could be how good she was with animals, wild animals did not take so easily to anyone, good or not, in my experience. "So, the question becomes… accident or murder?"

"And, if murder, was it Plegia, or Ferox?" He sighed, tensing. "Tell Robin. I'll tell Frederick. But no one else for now. I do not want a panic among the ranks, especially right now."

"I'm not sure I fully agree…" I thought of Mom, and how she'd done her best to hide the worst from us. It only made things scarier when the worst came for us anyway. "Why don't we use that I travel a lot to make a mention that there had been some trouble? Nothing about the pegasus, but still, everyone knows to be guarded." I stepped a little closer to him and rested a hand on his arm as he remained silent. "Trust me. The worst thing we can do for them is protect them to the point that they are not ready or capable of protecting themselves. You can't…"

"I can't smother them. I can't lock them up. That's not protection. That's imprisonment with good intentions." He sighed and slowly relaxed. "All right. But only the four of us will know about the messengers."

"Yes, I can agree to that." I thought of the others, and sighed a bit. "Now, others might suspect, but they can choose to come with us or keep things quiet. I think this way, we'll keep everyone truly safe."

"Yes, I think so as well." He finally smiled. "Thanks. I was trying to think of how to bring the topic up."

"That's me. I'm an expert at bringing up awkward things." I smiled as he laughed and slid my hand so that I could tug his arm. "Come on. Let's go find them, and then, you can get a good meal."

"Now _that_ sounds like a plan." His smile became a grin, and he easily fell in step beside me. "What's on the menu tonight?"

"It's a vegetable and rabbit stew. No bears this time."

"Darn, I should've hunted."

"Yes, you should've!"

As the two of us joked and walked back towards the main part of the camp, I thought I felt eyes boring into my back, but when I turned to look, there was only Sumia, who seemed very intent on tending to the pegasus, glancing up only once or twice before purposely returning to her pegasus. I wondered about why she'd be so tentative, but decided she must not want to 'bother us further'. So, I let it go, though I couldn't help but feel as if I was missing something, something very important.

Well, it would come back to bite me later. Life had a tendency to do that, after all.

* * *

The night rang with the sound of wood crashing on wood as Chrom and I sparred. What had simply been a way to help distract him had become routine. Once first watch took their posts for the night, Chrom and I would take to the fields near the camp and spar. Most of the time, it was just us two, but sometimes, others watched.

Both of us swung and we locked blades, both staring each other down as we tried to overpower each other. Then we both stilled and started laughing, unable to really help it. This, too, became increasingly common as we sparred. For one reason or another, we'd just burst into laughter, and would step apart to take a break while we caught our breath.

"You know; I never do quite get why 'blade locks' are mentioned so much in stories," Chrom explained. He walked to the side and picked up the towels resting by additional practice swords, tossing me one before wiping the sweat off his face. "There's so many ways to break free."

"It's a suitably dramatic time to spout off talking, like taunts or confrontations," I replied, wiping the sweat off my neck. I'd twisted my hair up into a bun instead of my normal ponytail, but I still had the stray hair stick awkwardly. "I'd try a kick, personally, or to twist and flip you on your back."

"Like you did last time? I'm still seeing stars."

"Serves you right for throwing me two nights ago."

"You were much lighter than I expected!" He brought his hands up defensively as I playfully glared. "I apologized!"

"Frantically, yes." I might've teased him more, but then I noticed Shi… Frederick walking up. "Well, it looks like someone ate a thundercloud."

"Oh, gods, what did I do this time, Frederick?" Chrom groaned, not even turning around. I laughed, unable to help it. "One moment." Sighing heavily, he went to go meet Shi-Frederick. I lingered back, stretching slowly as I let the wind slowly cool me down. A bit of clapping caught my attention, though, and I turned to see Ruffles was nearby. Sitting on a pillow he must've brought from his tent. With a mug of tea that looked completely out of place.

"Isn't it a bit late for tea?" I asked dryly, walking over. "Actually, shouldn't you be sleeping now or something? Beauty rest, and all?"

"Ah, I am flattered you are worried for the maintainment of my good looks, dear lady, but all hours are terrific for tea," Ruffles replied easily. I chose to not comment on how I was pretty damn sure 'maintainment' was not a word. "I am drinking a fine chamomile and lavender tea, to facilitate with peaceful slumbers. Might I interest you in a cup? Perhaps a rousing game of chess?"

"Why would you want something 'rousing' when you're trying to sleep?" I shook my head. "No to both. I'm not really fond of the taste of lavender, and I'm not really a chess person. I know the rules and all, but I never had the patience for it. I fight dirty anyway."

"But you fought so gallantly with our dashing prince!"

"We're just sparring, trying out new tricks without breaking things, in theory." I… tried to not remember that we'd broken five practice swords since we started these sparring sessions. "This is more stamina than actually winning."

"Ah, yes, stamina is so very important for many, _many_ things." He smirked and winked, and I rolled my eyes. "Regardless, dear lady, might I ask a question of your vast travels?"

"You may…" I eyed him warily and tapped the practice sword against my thigh, waiting. As I had suggested, Chrom had told the others that I had remembered some 'trouble' in the area, and to be careful as we moved forward. Ruffles had been the only one of the group to have narrowed his eyes at the warning, and now, I was worried I'd have to speak around things. If I lied directly, I was dead certain he'd known. "What is it?"

"Have you ever traveled to Valm, by chance?

"Valm?" That was… not what I had expected. "I have, actually. I've been to Otrela, for instance, since that's the place with the biggest harbor. The Demon's Ingle. Chon'sin." I smiled slightly. "I was actually there for a flower viewing."

"Ah, yes, the cherry blossoms are simply breathtaking." He took a sip of tea. "Have you ever been to Rosanne?"

"Robin and I lived there for about a month, actually. Some mercenary work. It's a lovely little country." I smiled slightly. "It was the first time we could ever afford cherries, actually. They were so cheap there."

"You must've visited the south, then. Cherry groves are abundant there." His eyes were nostalgic. "That's my home, you see. Rosanne. I ruled it."

"Really?" I shrugged. "Sorry. I never learned much about the politics there."

"It's fine. Clearly, I no longer rule it." He set his mug down next to him. "Like here, there is a country that shares a name with the continent, Valm. A pitifully small country, truly, barely notable for anything, the last vestige of the old Valmese Empire that fell and shattered to civil war. Except it became the rallying point for another conquest, another attempt at unification. Through force." He sighed, tilting his head back up to the clouding skies. "Rosanne was one of the first to fall to Walhart."

"Is that why you're here?" I thought of what I remembered of Rosanne. "Rosanne never seemed very military minded."

"We weren't. There's knights, but no real standing army. Not even my fair Cherche could stand against his forces for long. But my people would've fought tooth and nail, and perished. So, I fled, knowing that without a leader, they would be disheartened and surrender."

"You'd be named craven, or worse." A commonality I'd noticed on Valm was a deep hatred for those who _fled_ battles. "They would hate you."

"But at least they are alive to hate me, which they would not have been, had we faced Walhart the Conqueror."

"I see…" A troubling thought occurred to me. "This Walhart… what's going to stop him from coming across the sea to continue his conquest?"

"As far as I know? Nothing." He gave me a very somber look. "I have informed Exalt Emmeryn. If you, perhaps, could inform Prince Chrom? I hope that Walhart will not come while this trouble with Plegia bites at Ylisse's borders, but there is no telling what goes through the mind of a madman."

"I will." I frowned, though. "Why not tell him yourself?"

"What? And deny you the chance to spend more time with our dashing prince~?" He laughed throatily, but he got some weird look of understanding on his face as I continued to frown and stare. "Ah, I see. You do not yet notice the blossoms. That is fine; I shall enjoy watching them sprout and bloom. Just now, my dear lady, that I am forever in your corner."

"Oh… kay… then?" I gave him another confused look before shaking my head. "I… think I shall simply take that as you trying to say you're a friend, and you are trying to distract yourself."

"I think I shall count myself a very lucky man to have such a wonderful, and insightful, woman as a friend." He smiled and held up his mug of tea as if in toast. "Ah, but it seems Prince Chrom has returned for your sparring. Go on! I shall watch this match of legends!"

"Some days, I think you hit your head." Still, I gave him a worried look. "Are you all right?"

"Such concern touches my heart. Perhaps we might talk a bit longer, after-"

"I'm assuming that you're at least pretending very hard to be fine." I rolled my eyes, but looked at the mug, noticing something. There was no steam from the mug. It could've just have cooled, but I wondered if, instead, he was drinking something a little… _stronger_. There was wine among the supplies, after all. "Try not to drink too much 'tea'. We do march in the morning." I walked off, choosing to not listen to whatever reply he might have had, casually swinging my practice sword as I returned to the field where Chrom waited. He gave me a giant grin and waved as I approached and I couldn't help but smile as I waved back.

I would think of everything Virion said later. For now, though, it was time to beat a prince into the ground.

* * *

 _Info on Frederick:_

 _Class - Great Knight/Cavalier; Reclass - Knight, Wyvern Rider_

 _Sometimes called 'Shiny' by Kestrel_

 _A knight of Ylisse, personal bodyguard of the royal family, Chrom's Deputy among the Shepherds. Despite his attempts to keep a professional distance, he has clearly been a father-brother-protector figure for both Chrom and Lissa._

 _Extremely devoted to the royal family, perhaps overly so, with a strong focus on training, discipline, and cleanliness. Some part of me wonders if it's because it's only recently that the royal family could walk through the streets without having rocks and mud thrown at them._

 _Strong and steady, but even he admits that he is a bit out of practice, since most of his time is spent taking care of Chrom and Lissa. Still, his experience is valuable, and he's always eager to learn._

* * *

Author's Note: In game, the scene where Sumia tames the pegasus doesn't have snow, but the idea of the Shepherds playing the snow was too cute to pass up. There is no mention, in game, for where the pegasus came from, but even if Sumia is good with animals, it seemed strange for a wild animal to calm down so quickly, or prove so useful in battle so quickly, so I'm going with the idea that the pegasus is actually trained, but its rider died. Frederick does knit, though! It's mentioned in a few of his event tile and barracks conversations.

Some foreshadowing for Walhart and the Valm conflict, and Virion teasing, because Virion would. Otrela is not an in-game location; I added that as an additional country name, since there's no real statement for how many countries are on Valm, iirc.

Next Chapter - The Warrior Realm


	6. Chapter 3) The Warrior Realm

Chapter 3) The Warrior Realm

* * *

 _We continue northward, and the dusting of snow grows heavier. Twice we had to stop due to unexpected ice on the road causing bruises and even broken bones. We stopped in a village along the way to replenish healing staves, and make our way to the Longfort, the Feroxi fort that marks the end of Ylisse, and the start of Ferox._

 _The air is heavy as we get closer. I don't like this at all. But everyone keeps moving forward, unflinching, and I wonder just why I'm traveling with so many insane people._

* * *

I clutched my cloak around me as the wind bit and howled. We were on the edge of a blizzard, it seemed, and I couldn't help but marvel at how cold it was. Unless I misremembered, it was very unusual for there to be such a cold spell at this time of year. It was not yet winter. It made me wonder if this was just a natural cycle, or if this was supposed to be some sort of omen. Or maybe it was a consequence of whatever magic summoned those Risen, or the magic that was involved with that strange eye-like portal. Mom always said that big magics led to big upheavals in the natural world as it tried to adapt.

"I hope Stahl and Miriel are all right," Chrom murmured. He and I were walking together as we approached the grand stone fortress that loomed over us. "Things are dangerous…"

"That is why you sent both of them," I reminded. He had discussed this extensively with Robin and Frederick and all three of them had agreed to send the two as messengers to let the Feroxi know they were coming. Just in case. "Between her sharp mind and his easy-going nature, if something goes wrong, it's because they're looking for a fight."

"My head knows that. Everything else frets."

"Leave the fretting to Robin. There's no need for both of you making yourself sick, especially in this cold."

"Oh, right, he's riding with Sully because he felt nauseous." He looked at me worriedly. "Is that normal?"

"He's always been prone to fretting himself sick, and he no longer remembers what tricks he used to keep that at bay, so he has to relearn." The last part of the words was a mumble, and I had to resist the urge to growl. _I_ didn't know his coping methods, so I couldn't even help him through this. "You just focus on what you'll need to do."

"Ugh, don't remind me." He groaned. "Frederick says that we'll need diplomacy." He sighed heavily. "Negotiation isn't my strong suit, but I have to do what I can. For Ylisse, I..."

"Feroxi negotiation often involves drinking contests and arm wrestling." I grinned up at him. "Relax." I playfully nudged his side, but then noticed something. "Your hands are freezing." I took them and tugged him to a stop so that I could massage his hands. "You should've worn gloves. Didn't Frederick knit some for you?"

"He was, but I asked him to take care of the others first." He held still, watching me work. "You aren't wearing gloves either."

"I'm still fine." That was a lie. I was freezing. I _hated_ the cold. "So let's-"

"You think of frostbitten hands and desperately trying to keep warm when you see snow." His words were soft, and I was… absolutely _startled_ that he not only remembered it, but that he'd brought it up. "Besides, you might be 'fine', but that doesn't mean you're comfortable." He twisted his hands so that he was holding mine and, carefully, began to massage them, just as I had been warming his. "Is it too much pressure?"

"...No, you're rather good at this. I'm surprised."

"Emm's hands cramp a lot. She has to write a lot of letters and… well, being the Exalt involves a lot of paperwork. I didn't like seeing her in pain, so I started massaging her hands to help." He smiled slightly. "I was bad at it at first, but I kept at it."

"I see." I felt a little shy suddenly and ducked my head. "Um… thank you."

"Well, you helped me first. It's only fair." He sounded like he was laughing a little. "I wish I'd known it was going to be this cold. We could've brought hand warmers to help counter the lack of gloves."

"Or we could've just brought gloves?"

"That too." Now he was definitely laughing. "Oh, Vaike is waving." He let go of my hands slowly. "Be right back. It shouldn't take long."

"Please don't try to have another contest. I don't think anyone wants to deal with the effects of you two cooking again."

"We only did that because Lissa forbade us from sparring." He sulked a little. "Besides, I won by knockout."

"That's not how cooking contests go, typically." I shoved him forward as he started laughing. "Oh, go on." I waved a bit as he walked off, before turning, planning on going to check up on Robin. However, someone instead decided to grab my arm and, when I looked down, messy pigtails and a button hat told me _exactly_ who it was.

"Kestrel…" Lissa immediately whimpered. She gave me a rather pathetic look, helping by how red her nose and cheeks were. "I-I'm f-f-freebing!"

"That is because you insisted on no cloak, scarf, _or_ gloves, Lissa." I tugged her into my side and wrapped my cloak around her. "Holy hell, you're like a walking ice statue."

"This is why you _listen_ to your elders, Princess Lissa." Frederick walked up with a bit of a droll expression, leading his horse by us as he fell in step. He'd opted to dismount and walk to ease the burden on his horse while we walked over the icy ground. "We do know what we're talking about," he continued. "Of course, stopping to fetch them right now would-"

"K-Kestrel, Freddie's being mean!" Lissa whined, curling more into my side. "Ooo, warm~"

"He's trying to take care of you," I chided. Still, I tucked my cloak a little more tightly around her. "Weren't you with Sumia?"

"Sumia's gone to tend to the pegasus again." She looked up at me. "What were you doing with Chrom?"

"Talking?" I thought a bit before smiling slightly. "Or are you talking about massaging his hands?" I took one of hers and started to do the same. "It helps with circulation. The blood warms your hands."

"Ooohhh." She giggled a bit. "That's cool. I normally just wear mittens and have hand warmers. How did you learn that this works?"

"I… never really had enough to buy gloves or hand warmers." I suppose I could've tried stealing some, but I'd never really been _good_ at that. Finding discarded things had been infinitely easier on both Robin and me. "So…" I trailed off as I caught a very strange sound: metal clanging on metal. I normally associated that sound with… "Why would there be fighting near?" I looked up at Frederick and saw him pale. "Please tell me I'm imagining it."

"I wish you were!" Frederick snapped and I pulled Lissa closer to me as his eyes went wide with panic. "Prince Chrom!" He lunged forward, slipping in the snow, but catching himself with his lance. "Prince Chrom, get back!"

But there was no time for really _anyone_ to react, much less Chrom. Way ahead of us, Chrom was a sitting target for the lancers that suddenly appeared on the ramparts and threw their javelins, especially since he took precious seconds to shove Blondie out of the way.

Time seemed to slow for a brief moment as the lances flew right for Chrom with scary precision. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see him die, and clutched Lissa as she screamed and hid her face in my side. But then there was the sound of wings, and the sound of something 'whooshing' over my head, and my eyes flew open to see Sumia… _Sumia_ had gotten on the pegasus, and done a fly-by rescue, saving Chrom in the process.

That pegasus was definitely trained. There was no other explanation for how Sumia pulled that off so perfectly, unless she was a literal goddess.

Most of the army surged forward as the pegasus landed and Sumia and Chrom dismounted, both to praise Sumia and to reassure themselves that Chrom was alive. I didn't, though. Instead, I stayed with Lissa, and helped her actually stay up as sheer relief made her legs buckle. She leaned heavily into me, shaking, and I used my sleeve to wipe the tears off her face.

"I thought the world was going to end," she whispered, clinging to me. She couldn't stop trembling. "I seriously, _seriously_ thought…"

"It's fine," I whispered. I hugged her and rubbed her back comfortingly. "It's fine. I understand."

"Oh, gods, I never even thought Chrom _could_ die. I mean… he's reckless, but strong! No matter how many times he left to deal with bandits or… or landslides or anything, he came back, safe and sound! Wounded, sure, but he always… always…!"

"It's okay."

"He could've died. He could've _died_."

"But he didn't. It's okay. He's okay." I didn't ask why she was freaking out more over Chrom's potential death than she had over her own. I could understand. Losing a sibling was painful, especially when they were your only family left. "He's okay."

"B-but…"

"Shush. Just cry, Lissa. It's okay."

"He's supposed to always be okay! Never dead or… badly injured or… or anything! Like Emm! Nothing can happen to her, right? They're both amazing, and she's always guarded and-"

"Lissa. Just cry. It's okay."

Finally, she took my advice and just cried, clinging to me tightly. I murmured comforting nonsense and looked about the area, gauging everyone's reactions. Frederick was snapping orders to everyone to get into positions, and the rest were slowly listened. I saw Robin and Chrom arguing about something, and, when Lissa stopped trembling and stepped away to rub at her eyes, I gave her a small smile and went to Chrom and Robin. I hesitated at getting closer when I realized they were _arguing_ -arguing, but I glanced back at Lissa and set my jaw stubbornly. Whatever they were doing could wait two seconds for Chrom to give her a hug.

"You cannot simply go ahead when we have no idea what's going on!" Robin growled. I automatically flinched, frightened by how much like our father he looked and sounded when angry. "What would you have done if-?"

"We don't have time for this," Chrom snapped. He then sighed, though, relaxing. "Sorry, but Stahl and Miriel…"

"...Right, we'll shelve this for later." Robin sighed as well and closed his eyes. "I hope we're not too late, or that this… attack isn't because of something they did."

"Gods, please…" Chrom shook his head. "Go on. I'll be with you in a second."

"Don't be long." Robin walked off quickly, eyes blazing with determination as he muttered and gestured, as if he were writing his ideas in the air.

I waited briefly to see what Chrom would do but, upon seeing him just slump, I walked over to him. "So, do you have any more information?" I asked softly. "We just heard battle and then…"

"Not much," he answered, smiling bitterly. "Something about being a false prince, or an imposter, and then… well, some Feroxi trying to turn me into a pincushion."

"She seriously thinks you're an imposter?" I poked his arm, right next to his Mark of the Exalt. "Does she think this is paint or something?" I shook my head. "Whatever, go to Lissa. I managed to calm her down, but she broke down."

"I…" He winced. "Damn, I owe her. Maybe some sweets or perfume?"

"Or how about a hug, idiot?" I shoved him towards her. "Go on. Just give her a nice big hug. Think about the sweets and bribes later. She needs it."

"Right…" He sighed, grimaced, and walked over to Lissa.

I almost went with him, just to make sure, but I happened to turn and see Sumia nearby, and was instantly alarmed at how pale she looked, so I went to her instead, resting a hand on her back to catch her attention. "Hey, what's wrong?" I asked, peering at her. She was even paler up close. "You sick?"

Sumia shook her head almost violently. "She didn't balk," she whispered. She looked at me worriedly. "I thought she would've, but she didn't, and she knew… what to do. That all wouldn't happen for a..."

"...Keep the thought, but don't spread it just yet." I reached over and hugged her. "You were amazing, by the way."

"...Thank you." She hugged me back briefly before stepping away, beaming. "W-well, I can contribute now!"

"Are you armed?" I laughed a little as her expression blanked. "Go to Frederick. I'm sure he has a lance you can use." I would be very, _very_ surprised if he didn't. "I'll tell Robin you're up for battle."

"I will! Thank you!" Her smile warmed and she raced off, falling on her face only once. I watched to make sure she didn't hurt herself before turning to head to Robin.

To my surprise, Chrom was already with him, and he smiled slightly when I gave him a skeptical look. "I hugged her, and got yelled at," he informed me with great dignity. "She says she'll come up with a list of demands to be delivered after the battle. Then she went to get her staff."

"Well, so long as she is the one who stepped away first," I replied slowly. I crossed my arms, and sighed. "How's Blondie, by the way?"

"Vaike? He's fine. I think. No injuries, at least, and he hasn't broken down in tears or anything." He paused. "Not that… Vaike would really do that. But no extraneous bravado, or unusual quiet that I noticed. I'll talk with him later to be certain."

"Chrom, I understand that my twin is fascinating, but you can't off in the middle of a sentence to smile at her, and then ignore me," Robin suddenly _deadpanned_ , waving his hand a little as we looked at him. "Yes, hi, still here, still trying to tell you my proposed tactic given what little we know." He gave us both the drollest look. "So. Focus. Now."

"Oh, now you focus," I teased, mostly to buy Chrom time to go from chagrin to 'work'. "I seem to recall-"

"I also recall getting scolded. So."

"So, I was pretty sure you were just about done," Chrom interrupted. He smiled slightly as Robin scowled. "You were telling me what you wanted me to do, and then likely Kestrel's marching orders, and we were among the last, right?"

"Oh, you two have the same orders," Robin replied. He let his scowl fall for a serious, yet thoughtful, look. "You two are paired up."

"Again?"

"Yes."

"I am a little curious as to why you keep pairing us up?" I asked slowly. I made sure to smile so that he knew I wasn't complaining. "I'd think you'd want to switch it up to try new things."

"Well, I'd prefer to actually keep you two with me, but that'll be a detriment as a tactician, friend, and brother," Robin answered easily. "So instead, I'm going with the next best thing of having my favorite people protect each other." He grinned, far too pleased with himself. "Besides, you two fight well together, and you spar often, meaning you're more in-sync. I'd be an idiot to pass up that sort of advantage, _especially_ right now."

"Well, I can see the logic in that." I glanced at Chrom. "Guess you're going to be stuck with me for a while."

"You say that like I should be complaining," Chrom teased. His cheer fell quickly, though. "Robin, I want _you_ to have a guard this time, though. This battle will be very… strange."

"We don't really have many to spare," Robin pointed out. "I promise to be careful, but I've given the orders and-"

"You didn't give Kellam his orders." He looked a little confused as both Robin and I stared at him. "Kellam. He's right over here." He pointed and, for a brief second, I just saw a suit of armor, set up in the middle of the snow for some reason. Then the armor moved and both Robin and I yelped. "He's very quiet, so sometimes I miss him as well, but he's been waving for a bit."

"H-how long has this… Kellam been with us?"

"I believe since we left? I didn't see him during the battle on the Northroad, but he was there shortly after." Chrom beckoned the suit of armor over, and only now did I actually see, and sense, a person actually _in_ the armor. "Kellam, did you get a proper introduction to both of them?"

"I introduced myself at the Barracks, but I think Lady Kestrel came in after that," 'Kellam' answered. He had a very… forgettable face, with nondescript hair and eyes, and his voice was very easy to just… tune out, thanks to how monotone it was. "But it's all right. I've been told I'm easy to miss."

"I always feel bad about it, though," Chrom sighed. He smiled, though, as Robin and I just looked at each other in complete confusion. "But at least the Feroxi didn't see you either!"

"I've been calling your name and waving my arms for quite a while, and they didn't even so much as glance at me."

"You sound almost disappointed at that."

"Well… I'm glad to be seen finally."

"Is… is there a magic for this?" Robin whispered to me as Chrom and Kellam kept on talking. "Like my Insight?"

"Uh… actually, yes, I think so," I replied. It took a bit of thinking, but I did remember Mom saying something about a 'gift' that made it easy for someone to pass unnoticed without training. "I don't know the name. But, aside from the armor, he's rather unremarkable. Because of how average he looks, you couldn't pick him out in a crowd if you tried."

"That sounds mean." He made a face and I smiled slightly. "Well, I guess I'll just have to… give him orders and try not to miss him myself!"

This was just going to be a bizarre battle.

* * *

The snow was red. The stones were red. I'd always avoided fighting in the snow, and I had to say, I didn't think I was missing much.

"Quickly, break into the fort!" Robin shouted. While the mounted quad went to play bait on one side, the unmounted scaled the wall on the other side, both to catch the enemy in a pincer, and to try to find our two wayward messenger-Shepherds. While it worked very well at first, some archers caught sight of us and… well… Kellam's inability to be seen proved very useful for being a shield. "Damn, why do they have to be clever?"

"You don't survive living in a nation of warriors without knowing how to be brainy about your brawn," I snapped. I didn't really mean too; my nerves were just being rubbed raw by how many times an ambush nearly got one of us. "Stick close to me. I got separated from Chrom."

"How did that happen again?" Robin shifted so that he and I were back to back, glaring down some axe-users as they others rushed for the staircase up. "It was something about the door."

"Door is locked, and no one knows how to pick a lock, so we're brute forcing, which means the master of breaking things is up front."

"Ah, yes, that does make sense." Thunder magic crackled around him. "I'm getting low on pages. Ah well." He leaned back slightly, to nudge me. "If I strike twice, can you take the third trying to block us?"

"For you, dear brother, I'd even get the fourth." I flashed a grin over my shoulder and he laughed. "On the count of three?"

"Yeah." Both of us stilled. "One…"

Both of us moved on the 'silent' two, and no small part of me felt a little… happy about it. I'd just moved automatically, because that was how we used to do things . 'Count of three' was a little trick we used to throw off attackers, who wouldn't have their guards fully up. We always moved on 'two'. And he'd done so, even though he didn't have memories. Either he unconsciously remembered, or he had quickly adapted when he realized I'd been moving. Both thoughts made me happy.

I cut down the two blocking the path to the staircase easily, just as Robin finished electrocuting the two archers who'd been trying to shoot us. We shared a grin over our successful kills, and then bolted up the stairs as we heard a loud 'crash'; Chrom and whoever had been helping him had broken through.

The door led onto the top of the ramparts and it was already a mess of fighting, with the Feroxi trying to shove us off the damn wall. I almost jumped into the fray, but I caught a bit of movement just beyond the enemy, and thought saw a little bit of bloody green armor peeking out from behind a corner in the back right of this area. I hesitated for one brief moment before deciding to just screw everything and go investigate _now_. So, I raced forward, not paying attention to dropped guards or any sort of fighting and jumped at an approaching knight, using their head as a pivot point to flip over, and landed with a stumble behind them. Someone managed to get a cut across my back, but it wasn't enough to make me falter as I raced for where I saw the armor. Behind me, I thought I heard Blondie say something about 'teach just got tenure', so I assumed he dealt with the knight.

I almost looked, but I managed to find the alcove and swing around the corner. And then I froze, because the armor _was_ Gre… was Stahl's, like I'd thought, but he was… really messed up. His armor was cracked, and blood was smeared across even the wall, to the point where I could actually _see_ where he'd taken a bad hit, and then slowly crawled away from that spot.

"Is Lady Lissa nearby?" Miriel's voice made me realize she was here too, pressing her hands against the worst of Green's… of Stahl's… injuries. "The ignoramus has a skull of higher impermeability than even Vaike's," she continued, glowering slightly. Her glasses were cracked. "Her spear-"

"She's on her way," I whispered, interrupting. I hunted through my pack and pulled out a vulnerary and some bandages to pass to her. "Here. It'll… buy him a bit more time."

"You have my gratitude. My own stock deteriorated." She took them from me quickly, and that was when I noticed her hands were shaking. "He lost consciousness a few minutes ago. He said to-"

"If it's a last words thing, we're not letting him." I turned and held my sword in front of me, glaring as some Feroxi turned to face me. Sword users and axe users. I had this. "I'll guard you two. Promise."

"Can you handle so many?"

"It's not a lot." I narrowed my eyes and moved my feet slightly to firm up my stance. "And I'm rather skilled at countering, if I do say so myself. Just watch him."

She murmured some form of agreement, but I tuned her out to focus back on the fighting. I held perfectly still as one of the sword users burst ahead of their fellows, grinning sickly. Their eyes glinted with unabashed triumph as they saw me waiting, and not moving to attack. Then, just as they swung to attack, I brought my arm up and grit my teeth as I blocked the sword strike on my armored gloves. Their eyes widened briefly, but I retaliated quickly, catching them through the stomach thanks to the opening in their guard. They buckled and I kicked them to the side before ducking under an axe swing of another fighter and ramming my shoulder into their chest before decapitating them. Then I twisted so that an arrow hit my armored gloves instead of my chest, wincing a little as I felt the bruise.

Another arrow flew for that archer and landed a _perfect_ eyeshot. I blinked slowly, and glanced over to see Virion proving he was the 'Archest of Archers' with how skillfully he landed crippling hits. "Die, with magnificence!" he cried, counter-sniping another archer. He then bowed dramatically and turned to me. "Dame Kestrel, do you know where our wayward companions are? Princess Lissa is close, but we fear sending her out in this madness with no direction!"

"Right behind me," I yelled back. I blocked another swordsman's attack and kicked them in the groin to knock them down before stabbing them through the back. "Tell her to hurry! Stahl's really messed up!"

"So I shall! Virion, away!" He raced off and I nearly lost my arm because I was too busy trying to figure out why the _hell_ he'd say something like that.

I repaid the axe user by dis-arming them instead, grimacing as the injury to my shoulder protested. But I had no time to tend to it. Another axe user was running up, but his target was not me or the two behind me. Instead, it was Lissa, who was doing her best to duck and dodge as she ran over to me. So, I moved quickly and intercepted the axe user, catching his axe with both of my armored gloves. I grit my teeth as the impact rattled my teeth, and knew I'd have to repair the gloves after all these attacks. But they still held, and that was all that mattered to me, especially right now.

I threw them off of me, and smirked as their eyes widened. "You want to try praying?" I whispered before twisting and slicing them in two. My arms ached and my wrists twinged in pain, hinting I might've sprained something, but _gods_ , it felt worth it when Lissa slid right under the falling body and made it to Stahl with her healing staff.

I turned to see who else I needed to fight… only to realize that there weren't really any left, at least around us. The sound of slightly distant fighting hinted the cavalry quad were still battling, but… not us here.

"You look like you need this." A canteen dangled into view, and I leaned my head back to see Chrom next to me. "You look exhausted," he murmured. I decided against pointing out that he looked just as bad, with dirt and blood smeared across his face. "Virion said you found them."

"Yes, I did," I whispered. I took the canteen and guzzled down the water. I ended up drinking a little fast and choked a little, coughing. "I need to remember to not do that."

"Drink water too fast?"

"I'm not used to nice clean water." I shook my head and looked up at him as I wiped my mouth. "Miriel is alive and conscious, and doesn't seem to be bleeding, but _might_ be bruised. She didn't mention anything." I glanced back. "...Stahl's bad."

"Damn." He closed his eyes, and I knew he was blaming himself. "Damn them…" He shook his head and took a few deep breaths before sheathing his sword. "I'm going to talk to the leader."

"You're what." My eyes widened and I grabbed his arm to prevent him from leaving. "No way! This crazy lady almost killed you! Almost killed Stahl!"

"We need to stop this pointless fighting." He opened his eyes and looked at me. "If Stahl is really bad off, he'll need more than a healing staff."

"Yes, but…" I thought just killing the lady would solve the problem just as well. "You can't just…!"

A loud clanging cut me off, and we both turned to see a woman wearing heavy armor had jumped down from… I supposed it was a watchtower. "I am Raimi, guardian of this fort!" she boomed. Her voice echoed off the walls. "Let our battle sound out the truth of your words!"

"Freaking hell, she is loud and dramatic," I grumbled. I looked at Chrom. "You're _seriously_ going to talk to her?"

"I have to try," Chrom whispered. He gave me a sad smile. "I…"

"But-!"

"Please." He rested a hand on mine, but made a point to not pull me off him, even though we both knew he could.

I stared at him for a long moment and sighed, finally letting go of his arm. "Go on." I thought it foolish, but it was important to him. "But wait for Robin, please. Let him set up some sort of cover."

"I will. Keep Stahl safe."

"I will." I glowered up at him. "And I swear, if you get injured, and make Lissa cry a second time…"

"Duly noted." He walked off, heading straight for Robin, and I sighed a bit. He was… so _aggravating_.

"Hey, what's with you two?" Blondie popped up out of nowhere and ducked as I automatically attacked. "Easy, it's me!" he yelped. I blinked slowly at him. "It's the Vaike."

"...Sorry, Blondie," I whispered. I decided to just sheathe my sword to lessen the chances of taking someone's head off. "Between who?"

"Hmm? Oh, right. You and Chrom buddy."

"Huh?" I gave him a confused look. "What do you mean, exactly?"

"I mean that you two are rather touchy close, and was curious."

"...We are?" I thought a bit, and supposed I had to admit that I did let my guard around him a bit. "Well, he seeks me out more than I seek him out. He's aware that Robin and I haven't exactly had the best of lives."

"Ooohh, it's him doing them 'I want you to have fun and be comfortable' thing. He did it with me too." Blondie shrugged. "He can be a bit oblivious to how much privilege he has, but he does do his best to help people in the slums. That's where I'm from, and where we met. He'd gone down because apparently the reports about conditions didn't match what he'd been hearing. Never let it be known who he was, even when my axe took a little dislikin' towards him." He nodded. "Yeah, makes sense now. Especially since you gotta deal with a brother who doesn't remember ya."

"Yes, I really needed to be reminded of that." I narrowed my eyes and then sighed. "Oh, whatever. Regardless, there's nothing."

"Well, there's friendship. That ain't nothin." He shrugged. "I'm going to make sure the area's clear."

"Please don't lose your axe." I smirked slightly as he groaned, and waved as he walked off. The smirk fell, though, when I tried to think about just… first Virion and now him. Was there something unusual about how we interacted with each other? I didn't really have a lot of interactions to compare, and I was rather grateful to Chrom, if only because Robin clearly adored him. I didn't think there was anything really 'odd', other than the general 'I am actually opening up to a person' thing. But it was a bit hard not to, when he made such an effort to make sure Robin and I were comfortable...

Before I could continue that line of thought, thunder crashed into the wall, and I jerked my head up to see that Robin was throwing magic at Raimi. Chrom charged through the thunderbolts, and I noticed he switched his direction every once in a while, likely so that Raimi couldn't find a spot where Robin wouldn't fire for fear of hurting Chrom.

Raimi, of course, tried to charge, but armored knights weren't well known for their ability to deal with magic well. So, instead, she threw a javelin at Robin, clipping his side, and picked up another lance to use against Chrom. Chrom, however, parried it, and then jumped back as Robin launched another thunder spell despite heavy bleeding. I winced as I noticed Raimi's arms and neck were blistering, from the heat of the thunder as it bounced through the armor.

However, she held her ground, breathing heavily. "This is nothing," she wheezed. She held her lance tightly enough to make it trembled. "I am a warrior of Ferox! I will not fall!"

"Can we stop with this pointless fighting already?" Chrom asked. He brought his sword down. "This is more than enough! Just lay down your arms, and I'll lay down mine, and-!"

"I heard the Crown Prince of Ylisse was a warrior like his father!" She scoffed, and didn't seem to notice as Chrom's face blanked and then turned very, _very_ stony. "But here you are, begging for your life! There's no way you are-!"

"I'm begging for _yours_." Chrom's voice dropped to a quiet murmur, seething in anger and threats. "Yours and the soldiers' you command. Make your choice."

Her choice was to lunge, aiming right for his face. However, taking advantage of how weakened she was, Chrom _caught_ the lance, blood dripping his arm as the bladed part bit into his palm. Then, with one quick movement, he twisted, and jerked the spear out of her grip, throwing it to the side. She tried to punch him, but he ducked down, and hooked his leg around hers to pull it out from under her. She fell with a loud clang, and tried to scramble up.

But Chrom brought up Falchion and leveled it at her face in a silent warning. He glared at her for a brief moment as she stared at him with wide-wide eyes. But then the glare softened for a look of careful calm. "If you surrender, we can have our healer tend to you and your people," he offered softly. The wind blew, making his cloak billow dramatically, and from my point of view, it almost looked like it was trying to shelter Raimi, even as he held the weapon at her face. "Will you?"

She was silent for a long, long moment, just staring. But then, finally, she whispered, "...Yes. Your strength is no falsehood." She bowed her head. "I… surrender."

"Then let's tend to your wounded, and ours." He sheathed Falchion and gave her his hand. She hesitated a moment before taking it, and he helped her up, supporting her as she stumbled. "Here, let me help you."

The battle slowly winded down after that, and the others quickly ran around to check on each other, and on Stahl and Miriel. I lingered back, watching Chrom help Raimi limp over to Lissa, and I couldn't help but smile slightly. Even if I was a bit annoyed that he managed to pull this off.

Not every enemy could be reasoned with. I knew that, better than anyone.

* * *

The Ylisseans were a little weirded out that, after we had tended to the injured and buried the dead, the Feroxi wanted to throw a party, but I didn't think it was that unusual. Feroxi had a mentality similar to most mercenaries: whatever happened on the job didn't affect what happened off the job.

"So, explain to me again just why there is a party?" Chrom asked, looking a little lost as the two of us leaned against the wall and watched the chaos. He also eyed his mug of ale warily, since it had been topped off five times already, without his permission. "I mean… um…"

"Feroxi believe that there are multiple levels of the heavens, and those who fall in battle, or die in childbirth, are granted access to the highest level," I answered. I refused all offers of alcohol and stuck to water. I could survive a gutting thanks to Grima, but Grima apparently had no head for alcohol because _I_ really didn't. Then again, Robin did, so maybe that was just a sign of me not being a 'perfect Vessel'. "So, they are celebrating their comrades' ascension. They'll have the more somber funerals and the like later, when we outsiders are gone."

"But with this much alcohol?" He gestured to one of the two tables set up in the center of the room, filled with wines, ales, whiskeys, beer, and other alcohols I didn't recognize on sight. "There's more alcohol than food."

"Wine is totally a food. It's made from grapes." I gestured to the others, who, after a few drinks, happily joined in on the festivities. "Besides, aside from Virion, Frederick, and Lissa, the rest of them are too drunk to care."

"I'm not sure how much I like how right you are." He winced as the sound of something shattering rang out over the offkey bawdy song some people were singing. "Should I look?"

"No, Frederick ordered us to rest, remember?" I winced as more crashing sounds hit my ears. "Oh dear."

"I am banning alcohol for the Shepherds. Forever."

"I don't blame you." After all, it was absolute chaos and it wasn't _just_ the Feroxi causing trouble. We were in the biggest room of the fortress, and the whole place was as lively, and loud, as any three taverns. We already had to stop a couple from drunkenly stripping down. And stop some fights. And remind people that no, they couldn't fly, no matter how high they jumped off from. "Rather surprised you're not drunk like the rest of them."

"I like the occasional drink, but I dislike the idea of not having entirely full control. Besides, considering what I break when sober…" He grinned at the little joke and I laughed. "Is Robin winning the drinking contest?"

"Robin could outdrink a god." I laughed again, however, when I realized just how _much_ he was putting away. "I'm sure he's using this as a learning experience."

"I'm all for experience." He paused, and slumped slightly before glancing over at where Miriel was passed out. "Miriel isn't really one for drinking, so I'm wondering if she decided to experiment with 'drowning sorrows'."

"You know this wasn't your fault, right?"

"Logically, sure. Emotionally…" He sighed. "And all the people we killed. I can only pray it won't hurt negotiations."

"Well, she's going to escort us to the capital herself. If anything, I think this will help." I thought again of her explanation for why she'd attacked. "She said that Plegia had been masquerading as Ylisseans, but I…" I hesitated before deciding to just go for it. "I can't help but wonder if it was a double-trap."

"A double-trap?"

"Yes." I shook my head. "On the surface, it just appears like Plegia was trying to force tensions between Ylisse and Ferox, but according to Raimi, they had papers."

"...Now that you mention it, it seems strange that they'd keep papers marking them as Plegians on them for such an operation." Chrom sipped a little from his mug. "But if the intention was just to make them wary of any who came to the border, claiming to be Ylisseans…"

"She attacked you. She nearly killed you and yours, because of her doubts. You almost fell victim because of that paranoia. That's why I wonder if it was a double-trap." I looked up at him worriedly. "Though, regardless, you need to be more careful."

"Robin already gave me an earful for this." He groaned. "Same to Frederick."

"I think even Emmeryn heard Frederick's lecture, but that doesn't really matter. You are getting one from me as well." I frowned slightly. "Regardless of what you believe, Chrom, there are many who love you." I gestured to the Shepherds, all laughing and having fun. "They adore you. That's why they're here with you."

"No, they're good people who are willing to protect their homes. _That_ is why they're here." He shook his head. "I'm just the one who makes sure they're nice and official, and get some gold for their services."

"Then let me ask you. Did you just do a little recruiting thing?" I tried to think of how things were in Plegia. "Did you put up posters?"

"Oh, gods!" He shuddered. "Frederick _tried_. He drew up a poster and everything! Emm and Lissa sprained their sides laughing at them."

"Was it that amusing?"

"It had me naked, and there was a 'Chrom Wants You' written on it to cover up any 'scandalous' bits."

"Well, now I wish there was a copy for me to see." I grinned as he groaned. "So, no recruitment posters."

"No." He shook his head, cheer fading. "No, I didn't want anything to remind the people of… the war. The drafts started with posters, before it turned to armed soldiers just rounding people up like animals." He drained his mug and tossed it onto a nearby table already overflowing with empty mugs. "No, I just… I asked Sully if she'd be interested at first. We're childhood friends, and she's one of the few friends I still have. She jumped on the idea instantly, and brought along Stahl. I asked Vaike after that, and he was just as eager. Frederick recruited Kellam. Lissa said she wanted help, and that brought Maribelle in. Miriel just showed up at the barracks one day and said something about how she found the idea intriguing." He shrugged. "It was just very… informal. The whole thing is, really."

"I see." I still thought that, at least for the early ones, it was because _he_ had asked, but he seemed so completely certain he had nothing to do with it. "Well, why do you think they stay?"

"Huh?"

"This is a group of very… varying individuals of strong personalities." As if to prove my point, Blondie started a playful brawl with Red that soon dragged half the room in it, while Frederick and Stahl, safely healed if out of the next couple of battles, tried to sort it out. "They're all quirky. Even Robin." Robin was actually cheering them on from the sidelines, eyes sharp as he paid attention to how they fought. "I'm certain that most of them wouldn't even think about being around the others on a normal basis. I'm certain that they get on each others' nerves a lot. But they all stay. Why do you think that is?" I looked up at him and smiled. "Personally, I think they _stay_ because of you."

"Now you're flattering me."

"Not really. Your people love you. Trust me. I traveled through Ylisse. You're as loved as Emmeryn, easily." I grinned as I noticed he was starting to turn very, very red, all the way to his ears. "Embarrassed?"

"N-no, it's just the alcohol." He reached up to try and cover his face, but, again, he was blushing to the tips of his ears. "I'm going to stop the fight."

"Good luck." I laughed as he fled, smiling softly when I was quickly proven right. Chrom easily and efficiently managed to get the fighters to break it up, and got them involved in a drinking contest. It wasn't long at all before he was talking to them like they were old friends, with Red and Blondie on either side of him.

As I laughed, I thought I noticed eyes on me and turned to try and figure out who would be staring. I barely managed to catch Sumia's gaze before she turned quickly away, talking animatedly with Miriel about something, and I frowned a little, worried. I definitely felt like I was missing something, but I just couldn't figure out the piece, and since this was twice now, I was certain I wasn't imagining it… yet I couldn't...

"Kestrel!" Lissa popped in front of me and snatched my hands. "Come on! Dance with us!" she cheered, dragging me behind her and over to where a bunch of people had set up for some group dances.

At that point, I had my hands full because I was _horrible_ at dancing, but I did keep it in mind. I'd ask Sumia about it… if I ever remembered.

* * *

 _Notes on Sully:_

 _Class - Cavalier; Reclass - Myrmidon, Wyvern Rider_

 _Sometimes called Red by Kestrel_

 _The daughter of a Duke, and a proud knight of Ylisse, her birth name is Soiree, though she rarely answers to it. Brusque and aggressive, she focuses on training, refusing to rely on her family's reputation to earn her place. Her personality is very suited for Ferox, truthfully._

 _She fights with the Shepherds both because it is led by her childhood friend, Chrom, and because the Shepherds are not besieged by the sexism that apparently runs rampant in the main army._

 _An absolute horrible cook, and should not be allowed anywhere near food preparation. Ever. She managed to outdo Chrom in 'worst cooking disaster', and that is saying something._

* * *

Author's notes: The 'Chrom Wants You' poster features in the Chrom-Frederick supports, and are a hilarious mental image. Vaike and Chrom having a cooking contest is based off their B and A supports. "Die, with magnificence" is one of Virion's crit quotes, and possibly my favorite of them. "Looks like Teach just got Tenure" is one of Vaike's crit quotes. "You want to try praying?" is one of Kestrel's actually (yes, I came up with four for her). Chrom sneak-visiting Vaike's home comes from Vaike's supports with Lissa.

The exchange between Raimi and Chrom about the begging of lives actually comes from Mass Effect (the Citadel DLC, iirc); I thought it fit here. The idea of 'big magic' messing with the weather comes partly from the Valdemar Series by Mercedes Lackey, and partly from the Elibe games, where the power (magic) of the Divine Weapon led to the Ending Winter.

Next Chapter - Interlude, Eastern Khan


	7. Interlude - East Khan

Interlude - Eastern Khan

* * *

 _We were attacked on the border. I am almost certain it was a trap by Plegia, but what sort, it's hard to say. But it almost killed Chrom and it did kill Feroxi soldiers. While I didn't think it would hurt negotiations, I wasn't sure if it wouldn't come back to bite us._

 _But, for now, we make our way towards towards Eclil, the Capital of Ferox with the oldest arena on the entire continent, with Raimi as our guide. We can only pray we find the help we need, but I somehow doubt it'll be easy. The gods hate me, and so, I'm certain they hate the others for being nice to me._

* * *

Based on how festive everything was, we had actually arrived at Ferox during its Founding Celebrations, punctuated by lots of drinking, plays, parties. It was one of my favorite holidays, truthfully. After all, the unofficial motto of Ferox was 'fight hard, party harder' and they were very much into making sure visitors felt welcome to join the festivities.

"So, if you like Ribald, then I was thinking you might like a few others," Sumia chattered, smiling brightly. We were outside the Eastern Manor, where Chrom and Robin would meet with the East Khan, and already it seemed like the Shepherds were infected by the cheer. "I could give you a few suggestions, if you'd like."

"That does sound fun," I replied, smiling slightly as Blondie and Stahl started playing with some kids who passed by. "I enjoyed the last recommendation."

"I love speculations of the heroes of shadow in the past!" She giggled, clapping her hands. Nearby, Miriel and Lissa read to some more children who ventured close, curious about the strangers. "I think it's so strange that we know so little about the bodyguards of the Hero-King and Last Empress."

"Well, to be fair, what do we _really_ know about those two, or any of those from the War of Shadows, and the War of Heroes?" I laughed as some kids jumped on Frederick's back, nearly knocking him over, and Red encouraged them to jump over to her.

"That is a good point." Sumia giggled again. "Oh, we should just lounge around and read and…" She trailed off suddenly and turned a little red. "Ah, Captain! Did you need something?"

"Yeah, Kestrel." Chrom appeared next to me and snagged my arm. "I'm stealing her," he declared, dragging me behind him. "Sorry!"

"Do I have no say in this?" I yelped, twisting so that I could keep my feet under me. I glanced up and saw we were heading inside the manor, and Robin easily fell in step next to us. "Why am _I_ coming along?"

"Ah, yes, whyever would I want to bring along the only Shepherd who has any sort of substantial knowledge of Ferox when I'm about to meet the Khan and beg for assistance?"

"Why do you have to make sense _now_? I had plans!"

"You were just going to sit around reading from what I overheard."

"I like reading!" I huffed a bit and pouted at Robin. "Did _you_ agree to this?"

"Well, you are the most knowledgeable," Robin pointed out as we walked down the halls. He looked thoughtful. "Sumia seemed a little upset, though. I think she was really looking forward reading with Kestrel."

"We'll make it up to her," Chrom replied. We stopped in the middle of a large room and he turned to face me. "Raimi went to get the Khan, and while we were waiting, Robin and I realized we didn't know that much about Feroxi culture and ran to get you."

"Of course," I sighed. I looked down to his hand, still holding my arm. "So, you planning on letting go anytime soon?"

"Huh? Oh!" He dropped my arm abruptly and coughed, blushing slightly. "Sorry."

"It's fine." I shook my head and gave him a little frown. "You know; I do need my armored gloves fixed…"

"Done. Do you want them fixed or new ones made?"

"...You do know how expensive getting customized armor is, right?"

"You _do_ know that I am a prince and have way too much personal funds, right?" He grinned as I rolled my eyes. "As Captain of the Shepherds, I am legally required to get a paycheck too, and also as prince, I am legally required to have a stipend. Half of it goes to some various charities, while I keep the rest to spoil friends and family. We're no Plegia, but Ylisse does have far too much coin."

"Why would Plegia be rich?" Robin asked, looking a little curious. "Given the stigma…"

"Plegia has a lot of gem mines, and their access to the sea gives them a lot of trading," Chrom explained. He sighed. "If we could just cooperate… but given what my father did, it would've been too much to ask, and now…" He shook his head. "Well, now, we're here to ask for aid, and waiting for the Khan."

"A warrior ruler, huh?" He smiled slightly, closing his eyes. "I can picture him now. A giant of a man of unparalleled thew…"

"Am I now?" A dry voice echoed through the hall, and a rather petite woman wearing a sleeveless shirt and loose pants walked in, absently pulling her hair into a ponytail. "Please, do go on," she continued, eyes narrowed slightly as she stopped in front of us. "I'm quite interested in this… picture."

"Hello, East-Khan Flavia," I replied, barely resisting the urge to facepalm as Chrom and Robin both squirmed. "Please, forgive my twin brother. He recently suffered a head injury that left him without memories and he is relearning things. Like basic manners."

"Oh, you, I like." Flavia's expression relaxed for a small smile. "You are?"

"Kestrel, a humble mercenary turned Shepherd." I gestured to Chrom, who had since recovered. "This is Prince Chrom, if the mark wasn't obvious."

"A very polite jab at Raimi." Her smile widened slightly and she nodded. "Welcome, Prince Chrom. I apologize for the border trouble. Know that you are always welcome in Regna Ferox."

"You are very kind, Khan Flavia," Chrom replied. He spoke slowly, and I knew he was picking his words with care. "But I am confident that we can put that incident behind us."

"Still, I do feel terribly about it," Flavia continued. Her eyes narrowed slightly again, and I had a bad feeling she was about to test us. "Please, allow us to compensate for the injuries you suffered." Yes. Yes, she was.

"There is no need for you to do that." Chrom glanced at me when I nudged his leg and nodded when I shook my head slightly. "However, I happily accept your generous offer."

"...I _like_ you two." Flavia grinned. "I like you two indeed."

As she laughed to herself, Chrom leaned down to whisper in my ear, "You know; in Ylisse, refusing would've been polite."

"Yes, but in Ferox, refusing is saying that you are too good for help," I whispered back. I glanced over at Robin, and noticed he was just doing his best to remain hidden. "That's why."

"...No wonder Ferox doesn't like us most days." Chrom shook his head, and smiled at Flavia when she focused her attention back on us. "Regardless, what your soldier told us, your grace, troubles me. Your border villages?"

"Some were razed completely to the ground," Flavia replied. She crossed her arms and glowered at the ceiling. "Damn Plegian dogs. No survivors."

"Damn them," Chrom instantly growled. He paused, though, and coughed awkwardly. "Ah, forgive me. That was… ah…"

"Damn them! You should've shouted it." Flavia laughed again, relaxing. "Here in Ferox, we appreciate plain speech."

"Well, in _that_ case, you need to tell your damn border guard to think twice when someone with the Mark of the Exalt shows us."

"Now _that's_ Feroxi diplomacy!" Flavia grinned. "Yes, yes, I very much like you. Give your sister my thanks. Her last diplomat went far too much about propriety instead of adapting."

"In my sister's defense, Hierarch Nero is _supposed_ to worry about propriety and the safety of Ylisse. It's part of his job." Chrom bowed. "Still, I apologize for whatever insults he threw at you."

"Oh, I stopped listening after he called me a barbarian. I figured he didn't quite say what Exalt Emmeryn wanted him to. You may thank your people's love for that, as I was sorely tempted to show him how _barbaric_ I could get." Her tone chilled for a brief second to emphasize the threat before she shook her head. "Regardless, I think we've danced around the main topic. I know why you're here, Prince Chrom. These strange creatures have gnawed on quite a few of my people as well." Her expression became serious, and mournful. "But I cannot give you the aid you seek."

"Pardon?" Chrom looked startled. "Why not?"

"I am afraid that lack the authority."

"Well, that's new," I replied as Chrom tried to mask his surprise and disappointment. I tried not to flinch as her eyes sharpened and focused on me. "When I lived here, you were the Ruling Khan."

"Ah, you lived here once? A shame I didn't recruit you then," Flavia murmured. She shook her head, and sighed. "Sadly, Basilio fielded a skilled swordsman from Chon'sin during the last bout, and he destroyed my own champion."

"I see." I nodded and turned to Chrom. "Sorry. If I'd realized she wasn't the Ruling Khan, I would've warned you." I knew Chrom also didn't really know what I was talking about, but I didn't want her to know-know that so, instead, I turned to Robin.

He caught what I'd wanted instantly and stepped forward, looking confused. "Forgive me, but what is meant, exactly, by the 'Ruling Khan'?" he asked, smiling charmingly when Flavia turned her attention to him. "I'm afraid I haven't found any good books detailing Feroxi culture."

"Well, your first problem is trying to read about it," Flavia retorted. Her smile softened the words to 'teasing', and she nodded. "In Ferox, there is an East Khan and a West Khan, and every few years, a tournament is held to let war and gods decide who gains total sovereignty. And _that_ means authority to officialize alliances, and aid."

"I see. So, what you're saying is that you cannot _officially_ help us." Robin's eyes sharpened. "What about… unofficial aid? Can we include some of that in the 'compensation' you mentioned earlier?"

"...I like all three of you, and want to steal you all." She laughed, shaking her head. "Calm your conniving mind, though. The next tournament is nigh and, as luck would have it, I am still in need of champions. The one I had picked originally was injured by those creatures."

"We call them 'Risen'."

"I'll remember that. It's easier to remember." Her smile widened. "So, what about it? Raimi says you're skilled, but know how to hold back. That would make your perfect for the tournament."

"Would Ylisseans even be allowed?"

"Of course. I mentioned before that Basilio's last champion was a kid from Chon'sin. That's across the sea on the Valm continent." She crossed her arms and waited for Robin to nod before continuing. "The Khans don't fight directly, nor do they allow shield-siblings and kin to fight, as otherwise, we'd have issues with blood feuds and dead khans all over the place. Champions are chosen, and over time, it was decided to be _much_ easier just to bring in outsiders. Many mercenaries will fight, in fact, to gain a name for themselves." She grinned suddenly. "Of course, it's never involved foreign royalty before, but there's no rule against it yet! But the choice is yours."

"There's not really a choice there," Chrom sighed. He frowned a bit and nodded to himself. "However, one moment please." He snagged my arm and dragged me to the side, leaving Robin to talk with Flavia alone. Before I could even yelp, he turned to me with a very, _very_ serious look. "What is this tournament? What does it entail?"

"It involves seven rounds of combat," I answered after a moment. I closed my eyes, trying to remember. "The first six rounds are worth one point each, while the final round, fought by the Champions of the Khans, is worth six points. The Khan with the most points 'wins' and is the Ruling Khan until the next tournament, though for the life of me, I can't remember how many that is. I think it's four."

"Is it to the death?"

"It's to surrender or incapacitation. Mostly the latter since Feroxi rarely surrender. Healers are on hand to assist, so deaths are pretty rare."

"So, good idea? Bad?" He sighed, looking a little lost. "If it's fighting, I think… no, I _know_ our group can win, but…"

"If we win, she's the Ruling Khan. If we lose, but put up a good showing, then Basilio himself will likely come to speak with us and, if not, I'm pretty damn certain Flavia will introduce you to him." I shook my head. "She's not suggesting this as an ultimatum, I think."

"No, I got the impression that she was suggesting this because it would be much more expedient, and legal." He nodded. "All right. So, good idea."

"I think it's our best one."

"Okay." He closed his eyes and sighed. "Emm is going to kill me."

"I'll protect you."

"Watch it. I might take you up on it." He laughed a bit and returned to Flavia, who looked at him expectedly. Apparently, she and Robin hadn't even pretended to have a conversation. "My apologies for making you wait."

"It's fine, Prince Chrom," Flavia replied easily. She looked at him with a calm, studying look. "What is your decision?"

"If serving as your champions is the quickest way to an alliance, Khan Flavia, then we shall take up our steel." He said the words firmly and clearly, and held himself with steely dignity. "My people are desperate, and I do not wish to see Ylisse crumple as it did under my father."

"Well spoken indeed." She smiled slowly. "Is it fair to warn you now that Basilio's champion this year is supposed to be a very skilled swordsman?"

"It doesn't matter. They, and all those who fight in this tournament, shall be defeated by our necessity."

"Well spoken again! If you're as skilled with words as you are with a blade, then there is no need to worry at all." She laughed softly. "I shall handle the necessary paperwork, and make sure there are rooms ready for you and yours to rest here for the night."

"Shall I assist?"

"No, today, you are simply guests of mine, and of Ferox." She smiled warmly. "So go, and enjoy the Founding Celebrations and all that it offers. I'm sure that with everything going on, you need to have a bit of good old fashion fun."

"I…" Chrom looked a bit confused, but Robin and I both nodded when he glanced at us, and so, he bowed to her. "Thank you. I think we will."

* * *

"Ah, there are so many…!" I couldn't help but gush over the tall piles of books at one of the book-stalls in the market. "Oh, I don't even know where to begin…" I whispered, peering at the different colored covers. "The printing press is definitely the best invention."

"I know, right?" Sumia laughed. She and I had decided to go shopping and after looking a bit at some dresses and weapons, we'd given to the inevitable and gone book shopping. "Oh, which one did you find?"

"This?" I held up the small book I'd already snagged. "It's a book of poems. I love poetry."

"Oh! There's this one over here that Maribelle has been trying to get me to read." Sumia plucked it from a pile and squeaked as the pile fell, and knocked over a bunch of other piles. "Oh…" She flinched as the proprietor gave her a dirty look. "S-sorry…"

"I'll take that book." I took it from her, and smiled at the proprietor. "Sorry, we're just super excited by all your wonderful books."

"What trouble are you two getting yourselves into?" Chrom and Robin walked up then, and Robin immediately went to help straighten out the books while Chrom came to us. "Are we going to have a duel over books again, Sumia?" he teased. Sumia just went red and ducked her head. "At least you didn't fall."

"Not yet, at least," Sumia mumbled. She turned a little redder. "We should probably just purchase the books and go…"

"In that case, I'll buy them for you." Chrom took the books from us and smiled. "One moment."

"Oh, Captain, you don't need to…!" Sumia chased after him as he walked over to the counter to buy the stuff. "I have pocket money…!"

"Oh, Captain, my Captain, you need to stop being so pushy," I deadpanned, following behind the two. "You already got me to agree to new gloves."

"You didn't put up much of a fight on that one," Chrom pointed out. He handed the books to the person at the counter, and looked curious. "Also, 'oh captain, my captain'?"

"It's a line from a poem, a favorite of mine." I paused, and grimaced. "Then again, saying that might be a bad omen. The whole reason they're crying for the captain is because he's dead."

"I'm not going to die anytime soon." Chrom purchased the books and passed them back to Sumia and me. "Now, time to escape before Robin gets sucked in."

"But Chrom, it's _books_ …!" Robin _instantly_ retorted as he came over, making his voice whiny. "Books!"

"Yes, yes, this way," Chrom laughed, slinging an arm around Robin's shoulders and dragging him away. Sumia and I glanced at each other, shrugged, and followed. "Didn't you get a bunch at the other stall?"

"One can never have too many books. You should read a few of them, though." Robin's eyes sparkled as he fished through his pack. "They're biographies of some great leaders of the past. Kings, queens, generals…"

"I'm not sure you should've bought so many that your pack now qualifies as a lethal weapon."

"Oh, thanks to the straps, it was technically a lethal weapon already." Robin said the words so cheerfully that even I did a doubletake. "Regardless…" His eyes became distant briefly and then he shook his head. "That was…" He paused and looked to me. "Kestrel, did we ever come here with people before?"

"With… people?" I asked, confused. I shook my head. "No, not since we were very little."

"Really? I swear that was…" He frowned a bit, and Chrom moved so that I could take his place at Robin's side. "It felt… like a memory, perhaps? You and me, with two others, walking through a festival…"

"Never happened."

"It must've been another longing dream, then, like before. The other two must've been some old friends or something that I'd forgotten." He shook his head, and smiled at me. "Do you have good memories of these festivals?"

"Actually, yes, I do." The yearly festival here in Ferox was the one time of the year even Mom had relaxed. I had loved that. "So…" I trailed off as I realized something. "Both Sumia and Chrom disappeared." I looked around, a little curious. "Did we lose them in the crowd?"

"Chrom mentioned wanting to buy Lissa a present, so I'm sure he went to do that. Sumia might've gone to help." He smiled shyly. "I remember telling Chrom that I'd hoped to spend some time with you too. It seems like a fun family activity."

"Silly." I laughed. "Well, there is one thing we always did when we visited in the past. Want to do that?"

"Yes!" His eyes sparkled. "What is it?"

"We always went to see the dancers on the stage." I pointed to the center of the square not far away. "Looks like there's a performance now."

"Let's go!" He took my hand and dragged me over, and I couldn't help but laugh as we pushed our way into the crowd to get a better view of the _very_ pretty dancer twirling on the stage. Small bells clinked and chimed as she moved, providing her own background music that perfectly matched her dance. "Wow…"

"Yeah, this is why we always came to watch. Dancers are amazing." This one, though, was particularly skilled. "I wonder who she is."

"Her name is Olivia," one of the other spectators standing near us explained, a little girl with stars in her eyes as she watched. "She's the best dancer in all of Ferox! And on the continent! And she's basically like… a princess!"

"Is she?" I asked, a little curious. Ferox didn't really have 'princes and princesses' since all Khans were either hand picked successors or won through special tournaments.

"Yeah!" The girl nodded vigorously. "There's nothing official, but pretty much everyone knows that Khan Basilio dotes on her like a daughter! Lon'qu is basically his son too."

"Lon'qu?"

"Lon'qu was Khan Basilio's champion in the previous Championship, but for some reason, it's a random mercenary this time." The girl frowned, clearly put out about that. But then she was back to smiles. "He's a weirdo! But super skilled."

"I see." I smiled at her. "Thank you. My brother and I are travelers."

"Welcome to Ferox!" She reached into her pocket and handed me a very pretty necklace, a black cord with a red beaded pendant. "My mama makes these. They're for safe travels. She makes others too, but these ones, she likes giving away to visitors."

"Thank you." I made a mental note to find and visit the stall. "I'll treasure it." I slipped it on for good measure and the girl grinned. "Is it the shape that conveys the charm?"

"Both that and the colors. In Ferox, we wear red during war, so it's a symbol to death. 'I will fight back', and it encourages Death to help make sure nothing happens because Death doesn't like to fight." Her eyes lit up. "Oh! Olivia's finishing up!"

She did, with a beautiful, and rather awe-inspiring spin that went on for at least seven full turns before she sunk down into a bow. The crowd erupted into cheers, and she looked up with a small, relieved smile before bowing again and exiting the stage.

"Do you think we can go and thank her for the beautiful show?" Robin asked as the crowd began surging around us. His eyes were still sparkling. "It was so lovely! I can see why we had fun watching dancers in the past."

"Well, we can try," I replied. I glanced back and noticed the girl was already gone. "Looks like she exited this way."

"Right." Slowly, we pushed our way through the crowd, and I tucked the necklace under my collar to make sure it didn't snap off with all the jostling. But, before long, we made it to that side exit, and looked around, hoping to see if we could see her. A soft 'chime' caught my ear through the mess of sounds, and I turned to see her off in a corner… along with a very, _very_ drunk man grabbing roughly at her arm. I nudged Robin and pointed, and his eyes narrowed dangerously as he realized what was going on too. We shared a nod and pushed our way through the crowd, heading for her.

"Let's have a bit of fun, okay?" one of them urged. His face was flushed and his eyes were glazed over. "You won't regret it…"

"P-please, leave me be…" Olivia whispered. She sounded much shyer than I would've thought, and kept trying to pull her arm out. "I just…"

"C'mon, you're clearing asking for _something_ , dressed like that!"

"It's a dancer's outfit. I dance. I just got done, and would really…"

"I'm _telling_ you to come with me!"

"Leave her alone," Robin growled, stepping between Olivia and the drunkard. He grabbed the man by the wrist and squeezed, easily twisting him off of her. "She said no. Surely you have at least as much intelligence as a dog to understand that word, yes?"

"The hell?!" the man yelped. He tried to jerk himself out of Robin's grip, but his coordination was shot thanks to the drunk. "Who do you think you are?"

"I should ask you the same. Who do you think you are to make such demands of anyone, especially when you're this drunk while the sun is still high in the sky." Robin shifted to stand a little more protectively in front of Olivia, and I slid to her side to gently take a look at her arm. She looked very bewildered, so I smiled reassuringly before checking the marks on her arm. Red, but it didn't look like they'd bruise. "Leave."

"Like hell!" He took a wild swing at Robin. "I saw her first!"

"She was literally just dancing." Robin sighed and leaned back to avoid the blow. "Did you also forget that I still have your other arm?" He twisted it behind the man's back, and put pressure on it to make the man kneel in the dirt or risk breaking his arm. "I wonder. Should I bring you to Flavia? I'm sure she'd _love_ to meet a drunk man who tried to attack a dancer and one of her guests." He smiled as the man's face went pale. Clearly, bringing him to Flavia was _definitely_ the worst thing we could do to the man. "Actually, that does sound like a good idea." Robin raised a hand and waved to a burly looking man nearby. "My pardon, but might I ask a favor?"

"Yeah, sure," he answered with a shrug, looking curious. He came over, and looked at our little group before nodding. "You want him to go to the guard or something?"

"I was thinking Flavia, actually. I don't much know the rules, but I'm a guest of hers, and from my understanding, the lady he attacked is a guest of Khan Basilio." Robin smiled sweetly and the drunkard actually whimpered. "So…"

"You are a very evil person." The man grinned and picked up the drunkard, slinging him over his shoulder. "We'll get him there. Easy."

"Thank you." Robin reached into his pocket and passed the man five gold pieces. "As my thanks."

"You know how to talk Feroxi!" The man laughed, and walked off, easily making his way through the crowd.

Robin laughed a bit, smiling, before turning to Olivia and me. "Is she alright?" he asked me, mostly because Olivia looked a little dazed. "I mean…"

"Red marks but no bruises," I answered. I made sure to smile again as Olivia looked between Robin and me. "I'm not sure mentally yet. I think we surprised her."

"Well, we did just appear from nowhere." Robin peered at her worriedly. "Do you need to go to a healer?"

"N-no, I'm fine!" Olivia finally yelped. "I…" She bowed quickly, the coins on her scarf and the bells in her hair clinking and chiming. "Th-thank you very much! I…" She sighed, whimpering a little. "I'm… oh, I knew I should've taken up Basilio's offer of a guard, but Lon'qu was the only one free and he hates crowds, and I don't think he likes me much and-"

"It was really no trouble, Miss Olivia," Robin replied. He smiled warmly as Olivia glanced up tentatively. "However, since you don't have a guard, might you allow either my sister or myself to escort you? Just in case?"

"I… well…"

"If it's only one of us, then you're a better option, Robin," I pointed out. I glanced around, and noticed the man was out of sight. "Guys tend to view only other guys as threats." I turned to smile at Olivia. "He's a sweetheart, and it's not just my twin-bias saying that. You'll be perfectly safe with him."

"Um…" Olivia stammered. She looked back to her feet, and sighed. "I'm sorry to be a bother."

"It's no bother." I stepped away from the two, and grinned. "Robin, I'll meet you later, okay?"

"All right, Kestrel," Robin replied. His smile saddened slightly, and I could tell it was because he wanted to spend more time with me. But, really, we couldn't let this girl walk back alone. "Then, let's head off, Miss Olivia. Do you want to borrow my coat? It's rather chilly."

"N-no, I'm fine, actually," Olivia yelped, even as she led Robin down the path. "I'm quite good with the cold. I used to sleep on the streets, you see…"

"That doesn't mean you're not cold _now_." The two of them devolved into what had to be the politest argument ever, and I darted back to the stalls to take a closer look at some of the things Robin had seemed interested in.

It used to be a lot of fun, surprising him with gifts, and I doubted that had changed.

* * *

It _was_ just as fun, surprising him. It was equally fun being surprised, as Robin had also taken the opportunity to buy me a gift: my own copy of _The Ribald Tales of the Faith War_ alongside a couple of other, more serious, books on the same topic. I giggled and squealed like I was five years old again, and laughed brightly as he gleefully thanks me for buying him some history and strategy books.

"So, here, this is the scene I was talking about," I explained, pointing to it in my own book. Sumia and I were sprawled out in our room, surrounded in an impromptu nest of pillows and blankets, showing and discussing our favorite scenes. "See, she's already figured it out, but doesn't trust herself because of how unlikely it is."

"Oh, that's what you meant," Sumia gasped. She laughed and flipped to a page in her own copy. "I was thinking this one, because the first one shows he's got close ties to the royal family, but _this_ one more shows he's got knowledge of the past."

"Mmm, that is a good point." I nodded, giggling a bit. "Oh, but the scene where she gets the… is it 'Hero Sword' or 'Brave Sword' in your copy? I know earlier versions had the former."

"This is one of the first printings, so the first." She hummed a bit. "I wonder why they changed it?"

"Probably to make it easier for people to visualize what sort of weapon she got." I shook my head. "Regardless, that scene where she got it from… that other guy who I am blanking on at the moment."

"You are?!"

"Give me a break! There's _how_ many names in this book?"

"But he gets some of the sexiest scenes in the book!"

"Really? I thought Ares and Lene were better."

"Oh? Why?"

"Well, they start off all cute, you know. Some cuddling, kissing, flirtatious banter…" I laughed as she started turning red. "You have to admit that's just adorable! And then it transitions into…"

"Yeah, point." She coughed, embarrassed, and hid her face in her pillow. "But it's not quite as descriptive."

"I like less description. Makes it easier to use my imagination~" I laughed again as she groaned, and her ears turned red. But it died a bit as I thought of the past two incidents where I'd been certain she was staring, but then looking away. I thought about asking, but ultimately decided against it. We were having so much fun that I'd hate to put a damper on it. "I think the author realized that as time went on. Feels a lot more natural and less 'insert thing here'."

"KESTREL!" Her face went so red that I thought steam would start billowing from her head. "Oh my gods!" She collapsed in laughter, and I soon joined in. Yes, we were having far too much fun for me to bring up that potential awkwardness.

"Wow, I could hear you guys from down the hall." The door opened and Lissa poked her head in. "Mind if we join in?" she asked cheerfully, skipping into the room with Red and Miriel trailing behind her. "I brought snacks!"

"Lissa insisted on a girls' night, for some reason," Red explained. She sat down on one of the pillows and set down a basket as Lissa closed the door behind them. "I thought what the hell, so, here we are."

"I thought it might be illuminating," Miriel added. She picked up Sumia's copy of Ribald and narrowed her eyes. "'And, so he approached her, like a panther, muscles rippling as he-"

"Is it that book?" Red roared with laughter as Sumia and Lissa squeaked. "Well, now, this is going to be a party. Go on! Let's find some of the scenes to read aloud!"

"If we're doing that, pick a better one!" I insisted, reaching over to flip the pages. "Here! Read this one aloud! I want to see how red Lissa and Sumia get!"

Miriel obliged, reading the saucy scenes in the most academic voice ever, and even she struggled to keep a straight face as we hit some of the naughtiest bits. Sumia and Lissa went redder than Sully's hair as we switched scenes and so past the night. Laughter echoed on and on, and for the first time, I found it… just nice. It wasn't scary. It wasn't unnerving. It was just fun.

Maybe I was actually getting used to the madness of my situation. I wasn't very certain that was a good thing, though.

* * *

 _Notes on Virion:_

 _Class - Archer; Reclass - Wyvern, Mage_

 _Once called 'Ruffles' by Kestrel_

 _The exiled Duke of Rosanne, who fled his home in the hopes that his people would surrender and live, instead of fighting and dying._

 _Pompous, melodramatic, with an uncanny ability to actually back up his words. When it comes to his skills with archery, he's probably humble with his boasts, and he is shown to have at least some proficiency in every weapon save Dark Magic itself._

 _Flirtatious with women, and really gets around, but it's clear that he holds himself to a certain code, and is always careful to not tread into harassment, apologizing and correcting his behavior if he accidentally does so._

* * *

Author's notes: So, this is mostly to lessen some of the coincidence in that the day Chrom and the others arrived _just so happened_ to be the day of the tournament. I changed the formatting so that it's less of a free-for-all (and to better match with scene shown). I also added some mentions of Lon'qu, and an Olivia cameo! For fun. The Hierarch is an unnamed character who features _very_ briefly in Chapter 7; I added a name and reference for convenience. There isn't really a name of the capital for Ferox, so I added one for convenience.

' _Oh Captain! My Captain!'_ is a poem by Walt Whitman, and it's used for a damn good scene towards the end of the Dead Poet's Society movie.

Oh, right, since this has come up: for purposes of pacing and plot, I'll be combining a _lot_ of the Paralogues together.

Next Chapter - The Two Falchions


	8. Chapter 4) The Two Falchions

Chapter 4) The Two Falchions

* * *

 _We're in Ferox proper, and through a series of strange coincidences, we're actually now the Champions of East-Khan Flavia, fighting in her name during one of Ferox's oldest, and most sacred, traditions: the Championship of Ruling. If we win, Flavia has promised aid to Ylisse, meaning everything will be most expedient if we win. But this will be several rounds of single combat, with no healer to assist until the battle is over._

 _I'm scared. I'm scared of letting everyone down. I don't like this sort of fear. I'm used to having nothing to lose._

* * *

Kellam, Virion, Sully, Blondie, Robin, Chrom, and me. After extensive talks between ourselves and Flavia, we were the ones chosen to fight. Stahl and Miriel were still recovering from the border fight, Sumia didn't have enough experience in proper combat, and Lissa had no ability to attack. Frederick was one who almost participated, but Flavia had actually requested that he'd act as one of the two 'peacekeepers', since it was traditional to have the not-Ruling Khan provide the peacekeeper for the fight, while the Ruling Khan provided the 'announcer'. Frederick had been hesitant, since things depended so heavily on how well we did in this, but had ultimately agreed to it.

The worst part was that the order had to be predetermined. Chrom was last, of course, as Flavia's Champion, but there was a lot of debate as to what order we'd fight in. We'd barely determined it prior to Flavia having to give the names, and descriptions. Something about having to 'prevent cheating' or… something. I didn't really know.

I sighed, closing my eyes as I tried to relax. I was incredibly nervous because I knew so much relied on this. We _had_ to do a good showing. It was okay if we lost, so long as we showed we were strong. Feroxi admired and respected strength. If we put a good showing, if we showed them that we were strong… then we could get Ylisse the army it needed between the Risen and Plegia and…

It occurred to me then that I was far too involved with all of this, and that this anxiety was going to make me sick before the fighting. But I couldn't help but worry. I hated getting attached to things. I hated that the Ylisseans had been so kind, that the Shepherds had been so kind. Now I cared, and it made me shake because I knew what the consequences of failing would be.

"My dear, your lovely visage is paler than the moon itself." Virion slid to my side, and gave me a small, ornamental mug of tea. "Here, drink this," he urged, smiling gently. "It's a lovely lemon balm tea that I bought at the market at the recommendation of love lady."

"Did you now?" I asked dryly. Still, I took a sip and smiled. He'd added a touch of honey to it; I liked honey. "You seriously brewed tea right before a fight?"

"When better? I've already passed it out to the others." He gestured grandly to where most of the group was gathered around a table of our assigned 'waiting room', laughing at something Sully said while drinking what looked to be tea. I noticed, however, that I was the only one with a fancy teacup. "Lemon balm has always been a favorite of mine, you see. I find it wonderfully relaxing without causing drowsiness."

"It does taste nice." I leaned a little more against the wall, and cradled the cup to study the design. "You used this before."

"It's part of my favorite tea set, actually, one of the few things I brought with me from Rosanne. I couldn't bear to be parted from it; it was a gift from my younger sister."

"You have a younger sister?"

"...I _had_ one." He closed his eyes briefly. "Her name was Cassandra. She was even more talented than myself, which I assure you, means quite a bit. Quiet most of the time, with a kind heart. A veritable _genius_ when it came to anything involving thread." He tried to smile, but it looked pain. "When Walhart came to Rosanne, he devastated one of the border villages. Cassandra had been visiting, since the village was famous for its dyes. According to my scouts, there were no survivors."

"...I'm so sorry…" I looked at the teacup again, really looked at it. It was pale white, with a swirling design of the same color. I recognized the design as being a Valmese charm, the 'Winds of Peace'. It was rare for it to be on anything but cloth, though, so I had a feeling this was custom made. "Not even a body to bury?"

"My dearest friend and vassal, Cherche, tried to recover the body, but Walhart's archers and mages nearly took her from the sky, and thus, she returned empty handed." He shook his head. "If she had been still alive… I hope she wasn't. Walhart's brutality does not make me hopeful that he protects women from the… typical fate of the conquered."

I wished I could deny it. "Well, I hope whatever her fate, she got lucky." I sipped the tea, realizing why he came over, and even let me drink from what had to be a very precious item. I used that to change the subject. "You know I'm freaking out."

"My dear, it was obvious to the point that Robin was beginning to fret." His smile became a little more real. "Then lovely Sully distracted him with a story about how she killed some bandits in nothing but her smallclothes."

"And you came to cheer me up instead of listening to that?" I laughed a bit. "I'm honored."

"Well, as tantalizing as the mental image is, I thought your mental well-being took priority. As both a friend, and from a strategic point of view."

"Strategic?" I frowned a little before sighing. "Robin."

"Your twin brother adores you. Not even whatever hex robbed him of his memories could erase that. If anything, it strengthened those feelings, as he does not have anything else to drown it out. That's also why he bonds so quickly, and deeply, to so many of us." His smile took a distinctive teasing edge. "There is also our stalwart captain, our dashing Prince Chrom!"

"Are you going to try and tease me again about things I don't understand?"

"Well, that's always fun." Now he was grinning and I rolled my eyes. "Truly, though, this isn't meant to be entirely teasing. Our beloved captain frets over the wellbeing of all his subordinates. A good trait, but also one that can lead to a lack of focus." His grin faded slightly. "Regardless of what I think, none may deny that you and he are particularly close. You spar nightly, you help reassure him, and it is clear he relies on your knowledge to help bridge the gaps in his own. You are also the dear sister of his best friend. It is natural that he would worry more over you." He then gasped dramatically. "But all of that is besides the point. Why, my dear, you are so lovely and kind that I believe even a god would weep to see you so distressed."

I ended up choking on a bitter laugh, and coughed hard enough that the rest of the group crowded around, worried. Virion hovered over one shoulder while Chrom claimed the other and Robin knelt in front of me, taking the teacup from me to make sure I didn't drop it. The rest just… fretted, and I almost felt like crying again. The gods rather enjoyed seeing me 'distressed' given how my life has been. I was 'Grima', after all, and the gods made their feelings _quite_ clear on him.

At around the time I stopped coughing, and reassured everyone that I'd just been startled by Virion's flowery language, someone knocked on the door quietly. The door opened with a soft click, and to my surprise, _Olivia_ walked in, though she wore a more covering outfit today. "Um…" she began, noticing how we were all clustered in a corner. "Is everything alright?"

"Virion here just tried to kill me, no big deal," I instantly dismissed. I smiled, and the others relaxed, with Sully even nudging Virion. "Are you here to pick us up?"

"Yes, I'm the announcer this year, so I came to get you." She curtseyed. "My name is Olivia, a traveling dancer. I am pleased to see you two again, and to meet the rest of you."

"Thank you, Olivia," Chrom replied. He took a deep breath and looked each of us in the eye, smiling reassuringly at us all. "All right, everyone. Let's do our best, and win Ylisse the alliance."

We all cheered, though the words brought back my worries. I just… hoped things would be fine.

* * *

"Sully, you're amazing!" I cheered, caught up in the excitement as Sully ended her match very decisively. "Go ahead and hit him a second time!"

"She kicked him in the balls," Robin murmured. He, as well as the other boys, were squirming, and they winced as Sully glanced back, flashed me a grin, and took my suggestion, kicking her fallen opponent in the nuts again. The crowd went _wild_. "Well, they clearly have a favorite."

"Kellam did a good job winning the crowd too." Despite being up against a mage, Kellam managed to tie in a last second strike before collapsing. The walls had trembled at the crowd's cheers. "We're doing rather well."

"We are indeed." I giggled and, on impulse, held up both my hands towards Sully as she left the arena proper and entered the side-room where we waited, and watched the fights. "Awesome~!"

"Damn straight!" Sully laughed. She gave me twin-high-fives, grinning as the 'clap' echoed a bit. My hands stung, but I felt giddy anyway. "Oh, that felt _amazing_! This is a good way to beat out frustration!"

"I am reminded of why your father has given up trying to arrange a 'favorable marriage' for you," Chrom deadpanned. He laughed as Sully instantly groaned. "Your little brother and sister love it, though."

"Well, she's a nice proper noble girl, and he's just adorable." Sully grimaced, rolling her shoulders. "Ah, damn it, I hate it when the rush fades and all that shit."

"Off to Lissa for you. Just in case."

"Where is she again?"

"There's helpful servants to lead you to her special booth and make sure you thank them properly."

"Chrom, you're a little shit sometimes." She rolled her eyes and Chrom laughed. "Whatever. I'll be cheering!" She walked off, and I winced as a noticeable limp appeared in her step. She definitely pulled something, but that wasn't a surprise. She was used to fighting on horseback which wasn't allowed here for obvious reasons.

"Ah, what glory it is to see the red victory claim her prize!" Virion noted lightly. He flipped his hair over his shoulder as he headed towards the arena proper. "Now, watch as the Archest of Archers duplicates her most magnificent feat!"

"Be careful, Virion," Robin called. He grinned teasingly. "This isn't a flirtation contest."

"Of course not! Flirtation is an artform!" Virion scoffed, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Well, I best be off! Adieu~!"

"...What does 'ahew' mean?" Robin looked confused and nudged my side as the crowd cheered in the arena proper. Virion's match had likely begun. "Kestrel?"

"It's 'adieu'," I corrected, laughing a little. "It's Rosannean for 'farewell'."

"Rosannean?"

"A country across the sea, in Valm." I glanced at Chrom then, who nodded. I'd given him Virion's warning shortly before we'd hit the border, and he'd gotten a message back to Emmeryn thanks to Frederick. "Virion's from there. That's why he has an unusual accent compared to the rest of the Shepherds."

"Oooohhh, that makes sense." Robin nodded, smiling slightly. "So, the language we speak is…?"

"We're speaking Trade Tongue, also called 'Common'. Most countries technically have their own language, but as time went on, Common became more 'common', and now, most of the unique-to-country languages are simply called Old 'insert country here'. There's some scholars that trace the linguistic history of words to show how Common is really a nice little hodgepodge of borrowed words."

"But only the scholars and nobility actually know the old languages." Robin sighed, drooping a little. "That's a shame."

"Υπάρχουν βιβλία στο κάστρο," Chrom replied. Both Robin and I gave him an incredulous look. "Old Ylissean. I'm required to be fluent in it as the Crown Prince. I'll show you where the books are when we get back."

"I can't imagine you sitting patiently learning a language no one uses," Robin deadpanned. I laughed as Chrom sulked a bit. "I really can't."

"Like I said, required. Formal ceremonies, like the First Exalt Feast, have the traditional oaths and the like spoken in that language, since that is the language the First Exalt spoke primarily. Meaning if I didn't know, it would all fall on Emmeryn and she really _would_ never get rest."

"I still find it hard to believe." He snickered as Chrom's sulk deepened, but it ended abruptly when he tilted his head. "Vaike? Can you check the front? The cheering stopped."

"I'm the only one watching while you three are the ones chatting," Blondie pointed out. He was leaning against the wall right by the entrance to the arena proper and jerked his thumb towards the fight. "Bastard set down a damn mine thing or something. Miracle Virion didn't lose his leg entirely."

"A mine?" I repeated, startled. I'd heard about them, but I never expected to see one. "You're kidding."

"Wish I was. Don't know how it was made, but it was flashy."

"I'm sure Miriel can make one. It's chemistry and alchemy." I said the words absently before it all clicked. "Oh, hell, Virion!"

The three us ran towards the entrance, to try and get a visual of what was going on. Robin and I both snagged Chrom as we realized Virion was on his knees, with his opponent, an axe user, leaning threateningly over Virion. They smirked, seemingly perfectly pleased, completely unaware or uncaring that the crowd's silence showed all the disapproval in the world. Virion had this won by default, but it seemed like the axe user just wanted to kill someone today. But as they brought up their axe for a killing blow, their eyes widened suddenly and they paled. Their axe fell from their hand as they started to slump and cough up blood. Virion slowly rose, catching them before they fell, and that's when it became _very_ clear that Virion had gone into this battle with more than one weapon. He'd had a dagger hidden somewhere, and he'd pulled it out when his opponent had dropped his guard.

He ripped the dagger out of his enemy's gut, twirled the blade around his fingers to sling the blood off, and caught his opponent before he fell. Two seconds later, Olivia made the ruling: "the winner is Virion of the East!"

At first, the crowd seemed a little uncertain of whether to cheer for Virion's victory or not. However, when they saw him helping his opponent out, they started cheering, crescendoing into a roar of approval.

When Virion made his way back, he bowed to Chrom, and actually looked a bit apologetic. "I had hoped to simply win with my bow skills," he murmured, bowing his head. He paid no mind at all to his bleeding leg. "Not resort to hidden weapons as I did."

"I'm not going to scold someone for how they win a fight, Virion," Chrom replied. He smiled reassuringly. "You're alive and well. That's what I care about. Honor is great, and yes, I prefer it, but I'd rather hear you apologize than apologize to your corpse."

"Ah, it is so wondrous to hear your flexibility, and your forgiveness." Virion smiled back. "It seems that helping my opponent managed to win their favor back."

"The Feroxi don't necessarily like hidden weapon tricks, even if they do like ruthless tactics," I explained. I laughed a bit. "But they also don't like mines, and so, when they saw that the gods didn't smite you, they must've decided that the tactic was was the gods' revenge for the mine." I shrugged. "Besides, _I_ like the message it sends. It shows that Ylisse is ready to strike back, even when all appears lost."

"Ah, such beautiful wit!" Virion gasped. He bowed again, this time a little more dramatically. "My dear, you have charmed my heart once more."

"Clearly, a talent of mine, charming people." I pointed to his leg. "You need help?"

"I'll handle that," Blondie volunteered. He nodded to Robin. "He's next after all. You should be here for him."

I hesitated, but sighed, nodding. Blondie took Virion off, while Chrom and I hovered near the entrance and Robin took his place in the field, opposite a sword wielder. Olivia called for the match to begin, and Robin threw three thunder spells instantly to start it off.

It was a very fast paced match, truly. Both were dodgy and fast, meaning that few attacks actually hit. They ran around and around the tiled floors of the arena. Little spots of black showcased missed missed thunder spells. Little chips showed where sword strikes had missed. I found myself shaking as the battle went on, knowing that Robin's stamina had never been that good, and there was also a little… a bad feeling forming in my stomach. Robin's spells started taking a slight purple-red tinge, and a flicker of flames at his hands hinted that Grima's power was seeping through. I wondered if the people would figure it out. I wondered if they'd hate us, kill us, for our blood.

I covered my mouth in horror as Robin took the blow to his side, and I actually screamed when he twisted and grabbed his opponent's arm to _hold the blade there_.

"Checkmate," Robin said with a calm that did not suit the situation. He reached up and launched a thunder spell directly at his opponent's face. His opponent _shrieked_ , stumbling back, and Robin got two more attacks in, taking advantage of the dropped guard. He held himself stoically, and I shook as I noticed something that flat-out terrified me: one of his eyes had turned a deep red.

When he brought his hand up for a third attack, I opened my mouth to scream something, but then covered my mouth again to stop myself from interfering. But he seemed to 'hear' me anyway, as he paused and turned back to look at me. I shook my head subtly, and for a brief moment, he looked confused. But then he blinked and his eye turned back to the normal brown. He brought down his hand down, and slumped slightly.

Without the force of the attacks, his opponent hit the ground hard, and didn't move. Olivia called a halt to the match right then and there, and healers jumped onto the field, including Lissa. For a second, I was almost certain Robin had killed them. But then the healers brought up their healing staves and, working together, managed to get the person to actually regain consciousness enough to groan. About a second after that, Robin buckled, and was helped off the field by Lissa and another healer.

I was shaking badly, wondering both what just happened and how the _hell_ I was going to explain anything. Chrom came over and rested a hand on my back, whispering something I didn't process, though I was certain it was reassuring. That was the kind of person he was. I only calmed, though, when Blondie laughed, and even then, it was because I _really_ couldn't stand his stupid voice right now.

"Well, our tactician certainly proves that the Vaike is in good company!" he boasted. His smile faltered when I glared at him. "What? It's a compliment."

"Just get ready for your own fight," I muttered. I had no intentions of getting into an argument right now, when my stomach was in knots. "You're up."

"Yeah, yeah, don't get your panties in a wad." He sighed. "Really, you should smile more. It's a waste of your pretty face."

"Quick tip? It's pretty rare for a girl to take 'waste of your pretty face' as a compliment, and to take 'you should smile more' as anything but a sense of entitlement." I growled and shoved him towards the arena proper. "Just go on!"

"He was trying to cheer you up," Chrom pointed out. He peered at me worriedly. "I do promise that."

"He succeeded in simply pissing me off," I grumbled. I sighed, though, and slowly relaxed. "I'll apologize later." The roar of the crowd was tinged with a loud sense of pride suddenly, and I jerked my head up to see Blondie's opponent was, of all things, a sword user and one clearly loved by the crowd. "Oh hell."

"Vaike's bad with sword users." Chrom's eyes narrowed. "And this one is known…"

"I'm willing to bet anything that this is Lon'qu, the previous champion." I was back to feeling ill. We'd expected Basilio to field Lon'qu in the rounds, but we'd _expected_ him to be the last one before the main event, to build up hype for the final round. That was why _I_ had been placed the last one before Chrom. "Oh hell. This is going to be _bad_.

And it was. From the beginning, Lon'qu had control of the fight. Technically, Blondie was stronger, but he just could not get a good hit in. But Lon'qu got many good hits in, and at one point, actually scored a _deep_ hit across Blondie's back, and Blondie actually screamed in pain and I had to check myself from going out.

"Vaike!" Chrom, however, automatically took a step forward. "Hang-!" he tried to say, but I snagged him before he could get out too far. When he turned to me, I shook my head. "But…!"

"You can't interfere." I shifted so that I was holding onto him a little more firmly. He was stronger than me, so I had to take advantage of leverage points to make sure he couldn't break free. "You just… can't. You can't interfere. To the Feroxi, these matches are sacred. You wouldn't run into the middle of a ceremony in a church, would you?"

"I would if there was a risk of my friend…!"

"And if it risks winning the alliance?" I waited, but he only stared, looking a little lost. "That's how important this is to the Feroxi, Chrom. If you rush in, if you interfere… you could risk winning us the Alliance, even if we do win. Because, to them, it is disrespecting the gods."

"I…" He flinched as Blondie took another bad hit. "But…"

"..." I hesitated before pulling him into a hug, and hiding his face in my shoulder. "Close your eyes. Close your eyes, and pray, Chrom. I'll let you go when we're cleared to get him."

"And if he dies?" He sounded almost fragile. "I…"

"Blondie doesn't even know how to not misplace his axe. Do you really think he knows how to die?" I winced as I glanced over and saw Blondie take a third bad hit. "I'll let you go when we can go in. I'll come with you."

He didn't answer, just brought one arm up to cling to my back. He flinched as each time the crowd cheered, and I held him still each time he made to break free.

I watched as Blondie tried, desperately, to keep on fighting, despite the blood. He even managed, despite all the odds, to land a clear hit on Lon'qu, right on his leg, in fact. But that was it. Blondie collapsed, face first, struggled to push himself up, and then fell again.

Two seconds later, Olivia's voice rang out, "the winner is Lon'qu of the West." Half a second after that, Chrom and I were _bolting_ for Blondie, sliding in the dust as we worked on getting him up.

Blondie groaned, and weakly lifted his head as we pushed him up on Chrom's back. "Sorry, Chrom…" he mumbled. "Guess Vaike the Mighty…"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence," Chrom hissed. He shifted Blondie a little higher on his back, and I picked up his fallen axe to follow them back to our preparations room. "You did well, especially against an opponent like that."

"But…"

"Not another word, Vaike. You're one of my best fighters. You just had a really mismatched fight. I expect you to be boasting by tomorrow."

"Ha… idiot…" Blondie slumped then, and for a split second, I thought he was dead. I actually grabbed his wrist to check his pulse and, while it was weaker, it was still there.

When we returned to the side room, to our surprise, Robin was there, with Raimi. "She'll take Vaike to Lissa," Robin explained, ignoring our shocked yelps. "Lissa wanted to send people out, but you two got him first, so she came here."

"Robin, what are you doing here?" Chrom demanded, even as he let Raimi take Vaike from him. "You're…!"

"I saw Vaike's injuries and determined that mine can wait. I'm all bandaged, and it's mostly a surface wound." He lifted up his shirt to show off the pristine bandage. "I'll be fine. Besides, I have questions for my dear twin after her match."

"...Right, it's my turn," I whispered. I wasn't looking forward to this, but I managed a smile. "Well, I guess I'd better head on in." I turned away, and started for the arena proper.

But Chrom snagged my arm to stop me. He hesitated, leaving me confused, before sliding his hand down to mine and squeezing it. "Be careful," he whispered. "Please, be careful."

"I always am." I mentally debated before bringing up our clasped hands and resting my other hand on it, so that I was holding his with both of mine. " _Iuro enim tibi per ipsos deos quam victoria extraham te._ " My words tongue burned a bit as I murmured the Old Plegian, my blood pulsing briefly in anticipation. The only curses I knew were whispered in this language, and it _longed_ for me to use that dark magic. But this was simply my prayer, and promise to him.

"...I have absolutely no idea what you said." Still, he smiled. "And yet, I feel reassured. How strange."

"People feel reassured by things they don't understand all the time. Why do you think people listen to long-winded sermons?" I grinned as he actually laughed. "Okay, I'm off."

"Luck to you." He held onto my hand still, though, so I ended up having to be the one pulling away. As I did, his touch lingered slightly, and I knew he was afraid. He did not like seeing everyone get injured, and we were coming off a pretty devastating loss.

But I also knew he believed in me, and I knew Robin believed in me. That was all the reassurance I needed right now to step out into the arena proper with my head held high. The crowd cheered, and everything held still as we waited for Olivia to give the starting word.

"Begin!" She'd barely gotten the word out before I lunged forward, and my opponent, a lance wielder wearing light armor, did the same.

We both struck, and I had to duck as they spun to go for a second strike. I shoulder-checked them in the chest and tried to hit them with an overhead slash, but they sidestepped it easily, aiming for my back. I skipped out of the way, for lack of a better term, and swung again. They blocked it and shoved my arm back, before spinning their spear again. I flinched as the shaft of the spear hit my wrist hard, hard enough to make me instinctively relax it, and drop my weapon. They kicked it, sending it spinning across the ground, and then lunged, clearly intending to end the fight right there. I ducked under the spear, though, and came up swinging, landing a good hit to their face. As they stumbled back, I snagged their arm and tried to twist it behind their back to force a kneel. Unfortunately, they went with the movement, lessening the force, so I only managed to get them to drop their lance, which I… tried to grab, but I ended up not grabbing it properly, so when I had to dodge a kick, I ended up just losing my grip, and the kick sent the lance flying away. The two of us just stared at each for a long moment before settling into stances, deciding simultaneously that settling this with martial arts was much more preferable than trying to retrieve our weapons.

I let them strike first, though. It made things a little easier to set up.

I dodged. A lot. They favored punches, which I blocked as often as I could, feeling the bruises form even through my new gloves. But, mostly, I feinted. A lot. I liked how it made my opponents angry, and they always expended more energy trying to anticipate whether I would feint or launch an actual attack. Their guards always became sloppy as they tried to guess 'when' and each feint made them more and more certain that I'd never land an actual attack. But, as the fight wore on, around the time where my muscles ached even through the adrenaline rush, I saw the opening I needed. I faked a roundhouse, and they immediately raised a messy block for it, already thinking of where to hit next.

They didn't notice my heel was high over his head until it was too late.

I landed the axe kick on their shoulder, grinning as I felt the familiar 'pop' of dislocating someone's shoulder. As they dropped from the pain, I used the forward momentum I had to slam my fist into their face, feeling their nose 'crunch' under my knuckles as it broke and the blood gushed everywhere. That opened them up for an uppercut to the gut, knocking the wind clear out of them and destroying whatever semblance of a guard they still had. Then I pivoted on my now-front-foot, hitting them in the side with a spinning-hook-kick to knock them flat on the ground, right on the injured shoulder.

There was a very brief bit of silence, and then the crowd thundered their approval. When I glanced up, I saw many had actually jumped to their feet, clapping and cheering loud enough that my ears rung.

It was to that lovely 'music' that I waited for someone to pick up my opponent and return to 'entry-waiting-place' thing that I was too tired to remember the proper name of. As soon as I passed out of sight of the crowd, Chrom actually caught me up in a hug, swinging me off my feet with a laugh. "You gave me a damn heart attack," he laughed, clearly not bothered. He set me back on my feet and gave me a strange look that combined 'worry' and 'elation'. "You okay? You should get to Lissa?"

"I'm fine," I mumbled. I was tired, and feeling a little strained, but mostly, I felt… both pleased and embarrassed. "I'll stick here with Robin to watch you fight."

"Are you sure?"

"Hell yes." I grinned and he sighed. "Get ready. It's all you now."

"Yeah." He smiled. "I've got this."

"Luck!" I waved at him with both hands as he headed for the entrance, and he laughed before turning away.

Robin caught me in a hug then, squeezing me slightly. "Gods, I thought my heart stopped when they disarmed you," he murmured. He was smiling, though, when he pulled away. "But you did it. Solid victory, right before the main event."

"Maybe, but it's up to Chrom now," I pointed out. I turned as I heard the crowd cheer, and I saw Chrom walking out, cape billowing in the wind. "I hope it'll work out."

"He won't lose." Robin sounded perfectly certain of that. "Not with all of us cheering him on."

"The world isn't like that. Plenty of people are cheering for the West Khan's side too."

"But our bonds make us strong." He grinned, and I gave him the most incredulous look. "What?"

"That has to be the cheesiest thing I've ever heard and I cannot believe you said it with a straight face." I paused as I realized Olivia was giving a longer speech this time, and started focusing on her.

But Robin caught my arm, and I knew very well that he would not be distracted. "Why did that happen?" he whispered, ducking his head. "You look terrified."

"That was just because I had almost interfered." The lie came easily, and I wasn't sure how much I liked that. I never used to lie to _him_. "That would've been bad."

"But why did I feel…?" He visibly groped for words before shrugging. "Why?"

"...You and I… are of…" It was hard to whisper the words. "A cursed bloodline. That's why our father… tried to use you for a ritual…" I sighed, whimpering. "I'm sorry. I know I owe you explanations. But I'm so damn-"

"Grima." He said the name so easily that I gave him a look. "We're of a bloodline that is related in some way to Grima. And that's why you're afraid, because we're surrounded by Ylisseans."

"...That's correct enough." It was more because he and I technically _were_ Grima, but… "How did you…?"

"I'd been suspecting something. You would become scared and…" He brought up his right hand and pulled off his glove to reveal his Brand. "I mean; I have this. It's so similar to the Mark of the Exalt that I wondered if it was opposite. You have one too, right?"

"...Yes." But it wasn't… exactly… the same. The Mark of the Exalt just showed a 'lofty lineage'. The Brand of the Fell Dragon marked Vessels. "That's… all. That's why. I think."

"You _think_?"

"I've never seen you get to the point where an eye literally turned a different color before." It was said that Grima's eyes were as red as freshly spilled blood. But there was no ritual here. Why had his eye changed? "I don't know why _that_ happened. And there's no one we can ask."

"I doubt Chrom and Exalt Emmeryn would turn on-"

"Their people will." I looked right at him. "They have already. People do not _like_ Plegians. I don't… want to put that awkwardness on them." I was also just so, so scared that they really _would_ turn on us. I couldn't bear it. I couldn't bear having all this kindness and then have it taken away.  
"I don't quite agree, but, then again, I have no memories." He looked up then. "It's starting."

"It is." I reached down and gripped Robin's hand as we both headed towards the edge to watch Chrom battle Basilio's champion… "That's Marth!" My eyes widened when I caught sight of his sword. "How… does he have a second Falchion?" It… had to be just a replica. It had to be. There was only one Falchion in the world. That was the whole _point_ of sacred weapons.

If Robin replied, I didn't hear it. Chrom and Marth started dueling, and all my attention was held completely by how they fought… the exact same. It was like Chrom was sparring against a mirror or clone or… something. It was… unnerving.

However, it soon became apparent that it wasn't a 'perfect' mirror. Marth might have the same fighting style, but he did not have Chrom's strength. Marth might be able to dodge, but the blows Chrom did land clearly did quite a bit of damage. At one point, in fact, Marth stumbled back from a blow and, for some reason, looked over his shoulder. For some reason, I thought… I thought he was looking right at me. Then he stiffened at something, and then was almost knocked clear off his feet by Chrom, who was definitely _not_ pausing the fight just because Marth was looking at something else.

"What a strange fight," Robin whispered. He leaned against the wall, eyes narrowed. "Their fighting styles are similar, which makes the differences much more prevalent…"

"If you say so," I murmured. I didn't like that thought. Chrom was mostly self-taught, purposely avoiding the 'proper fighting form' with the Falchion. Why would a random mercenary have a similar fighting style? "I don't like this. I feel like something is going on."

"Yeah…" He winced suddenly, a hand flying to his temple. "Ugh…"

"Robin?"

"I'm fine. Just… a sudden headache." He frowned, eyes narrowed. "Kestrel, sister…"

"Yes, I am your sister. Are you losing your memory again?"

"No, I hope not." He shook his head. "Are you certain I can't see the future?"

"You've never had it in the past, at least." I peered up at him worriedly. "Why?"

"Just… nothing." He sighed heavily, rubbing his temple. "I lost it, damn it. There was something, but…"

"Next time, babble it out and _then_ ask questions."

"Good plan." His eyes lit up suddenly and he pointed dramatically. "There!"

I jerked my attention back to the duel, and saw Chrom had blocked Marth's attack and shifted, holding the two blades against each other. With a start, I realized that he'd caught the Marth's sword close to the hilt and lifted it slightly before stepping into the blade lock to unbalance Marth. Then, he twisted, and flipped Marth onto his back. Exactly as I had done, during one of our sparring sessions.

When Marth tried to stand, Chrom aimed the point of Falchion at his neck. Marth seemed resigned and stayed down, accepting the loss.

"The winner if Chrom, Champion of East-Khan Flavia!" Olivia's voice was hard to hear through the pleased roaring of the crowd. "So, with a total of ten-and-a-half points, the gods have shown their favor to East-Khan Flavia, and she shall be the Ruling Khan until the next Championship!"

Chrom stepped back, and helped Marth up. Then he raised his hand and waved to the crowd, who just ate up the friendly little gesture, cheering somehow becoming even louder.

Robin and I clapped along with them, with Robin giving me an 'I told you so' look. I playfully kicked his shin, but ultimately didn't care.

We did it. We won, won well, and no one had died. That was what mattered.

* * *

Chrom had tried three times, _three times_ , to leave the arena, only for the crowd to demand his return so that they could bask in his victory longer. After the fourth time, Robin and I snagged Chrom and just walked out of the side-room before he caved and went back. At about that point, Lissa appeared and snagged Robin for healing, and Chrom and I made our way to the waiting room to, well… wait for everyone.

"Why didn't Lissa grab you again?" Chrom asked as we sprawled out on the table, both exhausted suddenly. "I mean; you didn't get checked."

"I threw Robin to the wolf, I mean Lissa," I deadpanned. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feel of the cool wood against my cheek. "And I didn't receive a lot of slashing damage, just bruisings."

"I'm too tired to even argue." He groaned, and I heard his head hit the table. "Gods, what is with Marth?"

"No clue. But that has to just be a replica."

"Yes, logically, and yet…" He sighed heavily. "Whatever. Don't care. Not right now, anyway." He groaned again as we both heard footsteps. "Do I need to get up?"

"Sadly, I think we both do." I whimpered as I pushed myself up, and he did the same. "If it's fans, though, I'm throwing them out."

"Fans?"

"You're a Champion of Ferox, now. You're going to have fans."

"...Damn." His head dropped, but he straightened as someone knocked on the door. "Come in!"

"Well fought!" Flavia walked in with a bright laugh, clapping and smiling. "You have my respect for the brilliant fights," she declared, reaching out to Chrom. He automatically copied her, and found himself dragged into a handshake-hug. "And, more to the point, you have your alliance." She stepped out of the hug, but held onto his hand to give it another firm shake. "I will provide Ylisse with the soldiers you need. We'll discuss the actual details later, once Exalt Emmeryn knows."

"Truly?" Chrom replied. He smiled warmly, his exhaustion fading in light of the good news. "Thank you. I appreciate it."

"No, thank _you_. It feels like it has been ages since I last had full power." She let go of Chrom and grinned. "But for now, my new friends, we have to finish off the Founding Celebrations with a nice big party~!" She ran off before her could reply, with a distinct skip to her step and a lovely little ditty dancing through the air after her.

"Bah, any excuse for a party, and she jumps all over it." A very large man stepped into the room then, and I recognized him instantly as Basilio, the Western Khan. Olivia and Lon'qu trailed after him, with Olivia smiling shyly and Lon'qu perfectly stoic. Lon'qu had a "So, you're the Crown Prince of Ylisse," Basilio murmured, his voice a quiet rumble. His expression was calm, though, hinting that this was just his normal voice. "You're handy with a sword, boy. I thought for sure I had the stronger man."

"I'm just lucky," Chrom instantly replied. He looked a little wary. "Might I ask who you are?"

"Basilio, the Khan you rather rudely ousted." He sighed heavily, though he smiled slightly. "Ugh, I'm going to have to foot the bill for this party." The smile faded, though, as he became somber. "How's your archer friend?"

"Virion? Healed."

"Good. I'm glad. That man was recommended to me… or so I thought. Turns out that guy killed the one recommended and took his appearance. Since I'd never seen him before, I hadn't realized the deception. I apologize for that." His eyes narrowed slightly. "Accent was Plegian. They might've caught wind of what you were doing here. We'll be doing careful checks on spies as soon as possible."

"No one died, so I see no point in fretting further." Chrom paused and smiled slightly. "Oh, wait, is this like with Flavia apologizing for the border? Compensation or something?"

"That was going to be the next bit. So, be good, boy, and take the help." Basilio laughed, clapping his hands. "And the axe user? I'm impressed he got a hit on Lon'qu."

"He's also healing." Chrom hesitated before nodding. "About Marth, that mercenary…"

"Already gone. Not very sporting of him." Basilio frowned heavily, hinting that he really didn't approve. "Just a sellsword, really, with dreams of glory or something. All I know is that he showed up one eve and knocked my previous champion flat." He gestured to Lon'qu, who simply closed his eyes. "It was love at first sight, though I'm too old for such things!" He laughed warmly, and I remembered how rumors often mentioned Basilio's bisexuality, and frequent lovers over the years. "Regardless, though…" He gestured for Lon'qu to step up. "I already know what's up. Flavia told me and, to be frank, I'd been thinking about contact Ylisse because of these strange zombie things. So, while Flavia and I work on calling up our full army, take Lon'qu along. You've already seen his skill."

"Pardon?" Chrom looked a little startled, but before he said anything, he glanced at me. I nodded, and he smiled slightly. "Well, I certainly have no objections if Lon'qu doesn't."

"...He gives orders. I stab things," Lon'qu replied. His voice was surprisingly deep given his slight frame. "I think our roles are pretty clear."

"That may be, but since Ylisse doesn't have a proper army, you would be joining the Shepherds and we are an organization made up of strictly volunteers," Chrom answered. His smile warmed. "So, I ask again. Are you willing?"

"...Yes. Basilio already discussed this with me."

"Excellent! We're glad to have you." Chrom grinned, and Lon'qu actually cracked a small smile. "Here, I'll introduce you to the ones here, and then we'll have you meet the others. Do you have any phobias or allergies or anything I need to be aware of?"

"I…" Lon'qu looked uncomfortable suddenly. "Uh…"

"Lon'qu has a bit of gynophobia," Basilio answered. It seemed perfectly rehearsed, like this was actually a bit of a _lie_ , to cover up something Lon'qu didn't actually want to talk about. "He's fine on the battlefield, so don't worry about having him pair up with some of your female fighters. But off the field, don't expect him to be cozying up with any of them!"

"Oh, I think I heard something about that in the crowd when we arrived," I murmured. I nodded, and smiled at Lon'qu. "Well, I think that can be handled easily. Chrom, I'll handle telling Robin that if you want to get started on introductions."

"And while you two do that, I'll go with Olivia to make sure Flavia doesn't completely clear out my coffers." Basilio groaned. "Ugh, I can feel the hole in my treasury already."

* * *

The party was loud, and filled with cheer. It was hard to tell if there was more alcohol or laughter, but everyone was clearly having a blast. Feroxi traditional music of harps, flutes, and fiddles flitted through the laughter, encouraging people to dance in the giant open area. We were in a giant dining room, apparently designed to hold all of Ferox for a party, except I knew there were even more outside, with impromptu plays and improv also going on. The party here within the walls of 'Castle Ferox' was just for the higher ranked, much like most special parties in most countries. However 'higher ranked', in this case, meant things like 'general' or 'admiral', since Ferox actually did have a standing navy.

"Oh, wow, watching was so stressful!" Sumia whimpered. After her last run in with alcohol, she had decided to drink water, like me. "Frederick looked ready to jump in so many times…"

"I'm glad he didn't since, you know, big offense to them," I replied. She and I were tucked into a corner, doing our best to not be tripped over and have ale sloshed on us. Again, in Sumia's case. She still smelled a bit of stale ale, though we'd gotten the worst of it off her. "But yeah. How's Blondie?"

"Vaike? He's… sleeping." Sumia sighed, looking a bit sad. "I think being the only one to outright lose wasn't very good for his confidence…"

"I think it's a great thing, considering how _over_ confident he is."

"Oh, he's much more fragile than he appears." She frowned slightly as I scoffed. "You really don't like him."

"I am not impressed with him. I never said I disliked him." I sipped my water. "I don't care enough to have an opinion, and have no desire to know him more to form one."

"Mmm…" She sighed. "Well, I can't force you to like him. It makes me a bit sad, though."

"No one can like everyone. What makes the Shepherds unique is that everyone can get along well enough, and all of them respect each other." I gave her a look. "Don't think I haven't noticed how _you_ avoid people."

"B-but I annoy people!" Her voice became squeaky, and she ducked her head. "I don't want to bother and-"

"Well, I guess I'm not people." I smiled slightly, and maybe a little bitterly. But she was looking down, so thankfully she didn't notice. "Since you do not annoy me, nor bother me. I mean; who _else_ can I have in-depth discussions of smut with?"

"It's not _just_ that we talk about!" Her face went bright red as she pouted at me. "We also talk about how we like or dislike how pairings were written." Her eyes lit up. "Oh! Right, so, the one who wrote Ribald released one detailing the events of the legendary Campaign of Fire! I have a copy. Do you want to borrow it?"

"Is it smutty?"

"W-well, yes…" Her face went redder. "I think the author is just going to do a whole Ribald series about legends of the past."

"Of course." I grinned, laughing a little. "Sure. I'll borrow it. I'm rather curious where they'll be thrown in. Probably more glad-to-be-alive sex."

"Kestrel!" She managed, somehow, to go _even redder_ as she sulked and I laughed. "You're horrible. I love you, but you're horrible sometimes."

"You're fun to tease." A thought occurred to me. "Oh, right, do you want to borrow that poetry book I bought? The poems are really quite lovely, and there's a few I think you'd really enjoy."

"Oh, really?" Her blush faded as her eyes sparkled. "Yes, yes! I'd love to read them!"

"Excellent, so we'll do a little book trade and-"

"Oh, there you are." Basilio appeared out of nowhere, and snagged my arm. Then, without so much as a 'by your leave', he dragged me out of the corner and through the crowd. Before I could protest, he threw me at Chrom, of all people, before shoving us in the middle of the dancers. "There, go dance or something, you two!" he laughed, the sound easily trumping all the other noise. "Have fun!" Then he was off, still laughing.

"Did… did he hit his head?" I asked softly, not quite sure what had happened. This was incredibly awkward, especially since the dancers around us were definitely encouraging us to join in _and_ since I had no idea why he'd throw me at Chrom. "Did losing crack his mind?"

"Maybe this is his way to get back at us?" Chrom suggested. He shrugged, though, looking strangely unperturbed. "Well, might as well join in, since we're here."

"What?" I gave him the most incredulous look I could muster. "I… I really can't dance."

"It's fine. I can adapt."

"I'm going to tread on your toes, and actually not mean to do it."

"I learned with Sully." He took my hands and smiled slightly. "Come on. It'll be fun."

"I will trip and fall."

"I'm friends with Sumia."

"...You have a counter for each argument, don't you?" I sighed heavily as his smile grew. "Fine, whatever. Don't say I didn't warn you. I don't even know what to do."

"Well, truthfully, I don't know much about Feroxi dances either." He grinned outright. "Come on. Let's join in and have fun."

I did end up stepping on his toes quite a few times, but each time, he laughed it off. Whenever my feet tangled, he caught me before I fell flat on my face. Once, he even used the momentum to swing me up in the air, to my squeak and the crowd's cheers.

It… did end up being fun, though. I had no idea what to make of any of this. I really didn't.

* * *

 _Notes on Vaike:_

 _Class - Fighter; Reclass - Thief, Barbarian_

 _Called 'Blondie' by Kestrel_

 _One of Chrom's childhood friends, an overconfident axe user who proclaims Chrom as his fiercest rival. Seems to think highly of Chrom, and Emmeryn._

 _Tends to speak in third person a lot and calls himself 'Teach' for reasons unknown, especially since he only seems to teach people what not to do by example. Originally from the slums of Ylisstol._

 _He rarely backs up his boasts, but recent events make it questionable whether he believes his boasts, or just feigns confidence._

* * *

Author's notes: Maybe it's a little mean to have Vaike be the only one that loses, but Vaike and Lon'qu actually have supports, and this forms a reason for why Vaike goes out of his way to talk to Lon'qu. 'Old Plegian' is Latin, because it can be (more seriously, I associate Latin with 'magic', and Plegia is best known for being the place of magic), while Old Ylissean is Greek (both used google translate because I'm not going through the time to do that).

Lissa is normally there for the scene with Basilio and Lon'qu, but I had her tending to injuries because… that felt like it made more sense with what I had written. As for Robin learning about the Grima bloodline… imo, the most important aspect about the whole plot for the game is that Robin is a VESSEL of Grima, not that he's of the bloodline.

There is one brief mention of Virion's family in the game, Virion's S support with Lissa (at least, that is the only one I know of) where he reveals he's been writing letters to his parents (though, since this is also Virion, I half wonder if these 'parents' are trusted vassals/spies, but maybe I'm overthinking it). There's no mention of siblings. I just added that for fun. The teacup mentioned is the one from Virion's official art. The dagger he has is mentioned in his supports with Frederick.

Next Chapter - Interlude, Castle


	9. Interlude - Castle

Interlude - Castle

* * *

 _With our task in Ferox completed, we return to Ylisstol. Some of the group is hungover, but Stahl and Lissa keep everyone from puking too much of their guts. The trip back is quiet, and even a little cheery. Blondie is back to his full spirits before long, and the group works on integrating the standoffish Lon'qu with a friendliness that startled him._

 _Something bad is going to happen. I know it._

* * *

When we returned to Ylisstol, everyone went straight to the castle. Frederick expertly led everyone else off to guest rooms within the castle itself, while Chrom led Lissa, Robin, and me towards an open room with numerous windows letting sunshine in, various rugs of differing colors, a bookcases lining the walls, and a desk in the center of it all.

Emmeryn and Fea… Phila were waiting for us there, Emmeryn sitting at the desk while Phila stood at her side. Both looked up when we walked in, and smiled when they saw who it was.

"Welcome home," Emmeryn murmured, standing and moving around the desk to hug both Lissa and Chrom. At this point, it became clear that this was her study, and it made _so_ much sense that the study of the Exalt would be so open and… borderline pretentious. "I trust you were successful? Your message only said that you were coming home soon."

"Sorry, Emm, I feared it being intercepted," Chrom replied. He pulled away and smiled warmly at her. Lissa continued to hold onto her for a second more before popping back, while Robin and I hung awkwardly behind them. "But we were. Ferox will aid us."

"Wonderful!" She clapped her hands together, smiling brightly. "I knew sending you was the right choice."

"Well, I got lucky." Chrom snagged my hand and dragged me forward. "Kestrel here was a huge help, thanks to knowing the culture."

"Truly?" Emmeryn stepped forward and actually hugged me. "Thank you too, Kestrel."

"I-it really wasn't nothing," I stammered, startled by the unexpected hug. Then I realized what I said. "I mean; it really was nothing. It wasn't anything. I…"

"What my sister means to say is that we are simply grateful that we could aid Chrom," Robin helpfully 'translated'. He smiled charmingly as Emmeryn released me from the hug. "After all, you have given us a home, and a job, despite our questionable backgrounds." His right hand twitched, and I knew he was thinking of the Brand. "We are… very grateful. I have amnesia, but my sister makes it clear that we have not had very kind pasts. To have people willing to _be_ kind is… rare."

"Well, you'll always have a home here, with us!" Lissa chirped. She grinned and both Emmeryn and Chrom nodded. Hell, even Phila nodded, with a small smile. "You're Shepherds now! We stand together and all those cheesy motivational things Chrom says!"

"I do _not_ say anything like that," Chrom retorted. Emmeryn started giggling, while Robin and I snickered. "I do-!"

"Your grace!" The doors slammed open and a woman wearing red and silver pegasus knight armor strode forward, quickly kneeling to Emmeryn and Chrom. "A-and my lord, I did not expect to see you," she murmured, bowing her head. Her red hair was incredibly long, easily falling to the floor. "My apologies for interrupting, but I bring grave news."

"Cordelia, easy," Emmeryn murmured. Her face was stoically kind, and it was obvious she was back to being the Exalt. "Lift your head. What has happened?"

"I'm sorry, Your Grace." This Cordelia raised her head slightly, and glanced over at Chrom before focusing quickly on Emmeryn. "Plegian soldiers have been sighted inside our southwest border, and captured Duke Themis's daughter after attacking a village there."

"Themis?!" Lissa yelped. Her eyes went wide and her knees actually buckled. Robin caught her before she fell. "That's Maribelle!" She turned to Chrom, who looked grim. "Chrom, please, we have to do something!"

"Easy, Lissa," Emmeryn murmured. Only the slightest tremble in her hand betrayed her surprise. "Cordelia, was there more to this?"

"Yes, Your Grace," Cordelia replied. She bowed her head again. "King Gangrel claims that Maribelle invaded _his_ land, and demands reparations to this insult."

"And he no doubts has the backing of his people since they'll easily believe in a sudden attack on their lands," I murmured, more for Robin's benefit than anyone else's. He was the only one without much of a clue of what was going on. "The previous war started with a sudden attack in that area, if I recall the rumors correctly."

"Yes, it's true," Chrom growled. He tried to clench his fist, but ended up just squeezing my hand painfully. He was still holding it. "Ah, sorry…"

"It's fine. Just keep your temper." I did tug my hand out from his, though, and he looked very guilty over the thought. "He wants you to get mad."

"She's right, Chrom," Emmeryn agreed. She gave me a small smile before turning to Chrom. Cordelia kept her head bowed, but I had this strange feeling she was also staring at me through her bangs. It was likely my paranoia speaking, though. "We must keep your wits about us."

"We should just put a sword in his gut and be done with it!" Chrom snapped. Lissa instantly squeaked and hid in Robin's coat. Emmeryn actually winced, though she quickly tried to hide it. I knew Chrom saw both, though, because I saw the pain in his eyes that he masked with ease. "The Mad King has been provoking war with each step despite the great devastation the last one inflicted on his own country! He won't stop until he drags the whole continent to hell with him!"

"I understand your feelings, Chrom. Truly I do." She made to touch his arm, but he pulled away subtly. Her hand hesitated before falling back to her side. "But if we give him the war he wants, then we will lose, no matter what the outcome." She closed her eyes and nodded. "We cannot make that same mistake. I will offer parley."

There was a brief, very brief, bit of silence, and then there was cacophony. Even Robin was protesting the madness of the suggestion, and I just hung back, wondering what was going to happen. The noise just built and built as everyone tried to be heard. Chrom and Phila were the loudest, Robin's voice was the strongest, Cordelia lifted her head to voice something about the pride of the pegasus knights, Lissa began crying again...

Finally, though, Emmeryn brought both of her hands up in a very clear 'enough' gesture, and the whole room silenced. "So, we either march to war or leave Maribelle to die?" she asked softly. When no one answered, she slowly shook her head. "No, I will not accept such a binary choice. I will at least try the third option."

"...Of course, Your Grace," Phila murmured. She knelt to Emmeryn. "But please, allow me to arrange a squadron or two of pegasus knights to accompany you."

"Of course."

"Thank you." She stood and walked over to touch Cordelia's shoulder. "Come, we must prepare." Cordelia stood as well, and bowed, before following Phila out the door. A stony silence fell as the door clicked shut, with no one really knowing what to do or say.

"I'm going too," Chrom whispered. His eyes were dark. "Someone has to save you from your good intentions."

"Chrom…" Emmeryn began. She reached out for him, but he took a subtle step back. "Chrom, I-"

"I know. But still, based on your previous efforts, I do not feel as if King Gangrel is someone who you can reason with. Someone needs to protect you, in case I am right."

"...I know. Thank you." Emmeryn smiled sweetly, and Chrom relaxed slightly. "Your strength has always helped me, Chrom."

"And I'll be there too!" Lissa declared. She jumped up and snagged both of her siblings by the arm, knocking them a little off balance so that she could hug them. "I'll be there for both of you, and Maribelle too!"

There was a bit of laughter, and a bit of teasing, and Robin and I hung back as the siblings chatted. His eyes were narrowed, though, thinking of strategies, and my eyes closed because I knew how this would end. I knew how Plegia viewed Emmeryn's peacefulness. They saw her as a hypocrite who only cared about her own people. They saw her as a paragon of self-righteousness, who did nothing to help those her father harmed.

No matter how this ended, it would lead to war. Gangrel had the perfect excuse, using Maribelle as a scapegoat. Poor girl.

* * *

The next few hours were spent frantically preparing to march out tomorrow. The Shepherds were particularly enthused-grim in their preparations, since Maribelle was a Shepherd too. I spent most of the time packing for myself and Robin, cooking for the group to make sure no one forgot to eat, shooing away a little boy who wore an oversized hat like Miriel, and double-checking everyone's weapons were ready. Once that was all over, I decided to go look for Chrom for our nightly sparring sessions, and promptly got lost in the far too big castle.

"This is not my night," I grumbled, walking through the halls. The castle was pretty, but I'd long since stopped admiring the prettiness since I'd been wandering for at least an hour now. "Ugh… why have I not even run into a helpful maid yet?"

Little bits of murmuring caught my ear right then, and I mentally cursed the gods for being so goddamned convenient _now_. I headed for them, ready to ask for help figuring out where the hell to go. But as I rounded the corner, I flattened myself back against the wall as I realized it was Emmeryn and Frederick. Then I paused and wondered why I was hiding from them and peered around again.

"I'm worried about Chrom, Frederick," Emmeryn was saying as she and he walked down the hall. She walked very closely to him, their hands almost touching. "He gets so angry…"

"Anger is a healthy emotion, my lady," Frederick gently chided. He smiled down at her. "You cannot blame his frustration that his dear older sister runs into danger."

"I suppose." She sighed, drooping slightly. "Still, I worry."

"Of course you do, my lady. You are his sister."

"Will he be happy? Can he be happy? I've burdened him with so much…" She stopped walking and turned to face Frederick. "He deals with both our father's legacy and my own. The people look to him as their future, and yet, he simply sees our father's shadow in everything he does."

"My lady…"

"And I've burdened him with… other things…" Her head dropped and she clasped her hands in front of her. "I've burdened you as well…"

"My lady…" Frederick looked down at her with sad eyes, yet a soft smile, and then took one of her hands gently in his. "My lady, my life's joy has been here, serving as a knight." He knelt down and gently kisses her hand. "Seeing you smile, seeing my lord grow into a proud and skilled leader, seeing Princess Lissa find her own path… I can think of no greater happiness."

"Frederick…" Emmeryn looked ready to cry, even as she smiled warmly. "Truly, I am grateful."

There might've been more, but someone snagged my arm and dragged me away. I nearly yelped, but then I realized it was Chrom who held me, and we quickly walked away from the two, down the halls. I remained silent as he continued dragging me, until finally I said, "Chrom?"

He stopped abruptly, so abruptly that I actually ran into him. Then, slowly, he turned to face me with dark, yet sad eyes. The expression dropped, though, when he realized he'd had me by the arm. "Ah, sorry," he mumbled, loosening his grip. He ran his fingers over my arm, laughing a little bitterly. "That's twice today."

"Oh, this one just confused me. It wasn't painful."

"I'm sorry about earlier. I… I forgot I had your hand and…"

"That's why you should watch your temper. You could hurt things you don't want to hurt." I took his hand and squeezed it gently. "It's a good lesson."

"Especially for me." His eyes darkened again. "Damn all of this, though."

"The situation is at a point where nothing can be resolved with simply words." I sighed. "I admire her dedication to her pacifism, though. But Plegia will not believe her unless she can speak to them directly. If she can, I'm certain they'd see her sincerity. But things are so tense between the countries, she won't get the chance…" I looked down at his hand, still holding it. "Plegia did not like how Emmeryn offered no help to them after ending the war. Gangrel is an embodiment of his people's wrath, driven mad by the pain."

"Mad dogs need to be put down."

"I agree. But you need a plan for explaining to the 'owners' why you put their dog down." I smiled at him and, slowly, he smiled back. "Think beyond being death's agent, Chrom. Unless you plan on him killing you at the same time, which you better not, you will have to help Emmeryn with restoring relations." I paused as I remembered the scene I'd just witnesses. "Hey, Chrom."

"Don't." His smile dropped and he shook his head, slowly pulling his hand out of mine. "Not a word. Not one word about them."

"Why…?" I almost asked the question, but I realized it quickly. The reason was because in order to mend her broken country, heal her bleeding people, Emmeryn had to put herself 'above' them. She had to act the part of the pure and wise leader, the maiden who leads Ylisse towards healing and redemption. All too often 'purity' was associated with celibacy and no romantic attachments. To keep up that role, she had to reject any romances, even if she wanted it. And it was hard to say that the people would understand, considering that she had spent the past fifteen years cultivating this image.

After all, the people loved the Emmeryn they saw. They loved Emmeryn the Exalt, not Emmeryn the girl. They didn't love the twenty-four, twenty-five year old woman who had been chained by her father's legacy since before she was ten years old. They didn't know her. If she chose to take someone as a lover, as a husband, she would take a gamble. They might be all right with it. But they might react badly to their pure and saintly Exalt showing she was actually human.

Emmeryn was a cautious person by nature. She wouldn't take that gamble.

"That's not fair," I whispered. I almost laughed at how child-like my voice were. "Of course, life isn't fair anyway. But it seems…" I bowed my head, barely checking the urge to punch something. "It seems especially unfair."

"...Yeah, it is," Chrom murmured. He had a dark and sad look when I glanced up. "My father continues to ruin our lives… even fifteen years after he's dead."

"What about you and Lissa?" I had… no real idea why I asked that. It just bubbled out.

"Well, Lissa's free to marry whoever she wants." He shifted awkwardly. "I… have no idea for me. The people do expect me to marry, though. I know that much. Emmeryn can't marry because of duty, and I have to marry for duty. Probably better to just marry someone I can befriend and not… I mean; the court is bad, and whoever my wife would be would face a lot of scrutiny and…"

"Right, right, no, that… makes sense. Being queen requires a lot of work and all." I fidgeted, not quite sure what to do. "Have you… thought about who?"

"Not really, no." He was mumbling now. "Well, a little… maybe."

"Like who?"

"Thought Sully, but Sully might just kill me. Sumia's too kind to survive long in the court. Maribelle is probably the most suitable in terms of political skill, but she's my sister's best friend and she works too hard already. She'll likely die from overwork before the year is up." His voice became quieter and quieter. "So, mostly just… that."

"I see." This felt awkward. I couldn't breath. "I… had been looking for you, for our typical sparring match. But perhaps we should just… skip out today, maybe? Since we'll be marching out tomorrow for a declaration of war."

"Y-yeah, probably." He sounded a little disappointed, and I squirmed, unable to help it. "But perhaps some… tea or… midnight snacks or…?"

"It's… probably better to just go to bed, Chrom… you must be exhausted." It really hurt to breath, and I didn't know why. I felt like crying, but there was no reason to cry. I just had no idea why…

"Ah, well, yes, but it's really relaxing being around you…" It was hard to make out his words, even though I was standing right in front of him. "Though, maybe you just… wait, hold on, that sounds like guilting…"

"N-No, it's fun being around you. Most of the time. Though, really, you're far too kind to someone like me." For the first time in a long while, I wished Mom was alive. Then I could talk to her about what the _hell_ was going on with me. I had no idea. I didn't interact with people. It had just been Robin and me for most of my life, on the run from the Grimleal. Anyone I ever got close to often got killed by them. I didn't…

"Really? I often think I'm not being kind enough. Especially with how helpful you've been with… everything."

"No, I'm really not doing much." My hands started shaking. "I… really need to get to bed, at least."

"Oh, right, yeah." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Might I… escort you to your room? The Shepherds are staying in the castle tonight instead of the barracks like normal."

"Yeah, sure, that's fine."

The two of us walked in awkward silence all the way to the room labeled as 'mine'. We managed to bid each other farewell and goodnight with smiles, but as soon as I shut the door behind me, I collapsed, silently crying, for reasons I just really, _really_ didn't understand.

What the hell was _wrong_ with me?

* * *

 _Notes on Stahl:_

 _Class - Cavalier; Reclass - Myrmidon, Archer_

 _Once called 'Green' by Kestrel_

 _The younger son of an apothecary, a commoner who rose through the ranks with ease despite his laid back demeanor. Bullied among the knights due to not being of noble heritage, but never bothered acknowledging them._

 _A decidedly average person with a larger than normal appetite. He always cleans his plate, and always goes for fourth and fifth helpings._

 _A… strangely genuinely kind person, who always wishes to help people to the point of self-sacrifice. Most just accept it, but many also question it, worried for his health._

* * *

Author's notes: (Chrom and Kestrel B support unlock! AKA two broken kids being oblivious because of their screwed up childhoods) In game, Phila is the one who brings the message about Maribelle's capture, but I used it instead to bring in a Cordelia cameo. As for the Emmeryn-Frederick thing… there's nothing really in game to suggest anything. I just threw it in for fun. Stahl being the son of an apothecary, and having an older brother, is revealed in his supports.

Next Chapter - The Exalt and the King


	10. Chapter 5) The Exalt and the King

Chapter 5) The Exalt and the King

* * *

 _We head for the Plegian border, to meet with King Gangrel himself to parley and negotiate for Maribelle's safe return and no war. I highly doubt we'd get either of those things, but Emmeryn gets points for keeping to her beliefs, even in such troubling circumstances._

 _I'm just damn certain those beliefs were going to get someone killed at this point. Keeping to pacifism during such tense times was to risk certain death, after all._

* * *

Cliffs. Cliffs, dotted with little forts, leftover from the old war. The terrain was perfect for hiding troops, especially the wyvern riders Plegia was famous for. This was also the area Gangrel picked, which all but guaranteed that he had soldiers set up. The question more became whether he'd strike immediately, or taunt Emmeryn.

Chrom, Robin, and I walked with Emmeryn as she approached where Gangrel was lounging, clearly bored. The Shepherds, as well as a unit of pegasus knights with Phila, were on standby a 'safe' distance away, close enough to react, but far enough to not be seen as an immediate threat. In theory. Lissa had wanted to come, but Emmeryn had asked her to stay back. I knew it was because we weren't certain if we'd see Maribelle… or her corpse.

"Robin," I whispered as we got close. He glanced back at me. "Whatever you do, keep your hood up and gloves on."

"Understood," he murmured. He checked both for emphasis, before reaching over and double-checking that my own hood was up. "We'll be careful."

"Yeah." By now, Emmeryn had stopped and Gangrel slowly rose, smirking as he stretched and took his time acknowledging us. I snagged Chrom's arm, having a feeling he'd need the extra help with his temper. He stiffened and jerked out of my grip, though, and I flinched back, wondering if I'd crossed a line. But he stared at me for a long moment and then, slowly and deliberately, took my hand.

"Might work better," he whispered. I smiled slightly in reply and nodded. "You sure?"

"I grabbed you to help you with your temper," I pointed out. I hesitantly stepped a little closer. Things had been a little… odd between us, since the strange conversation. Not awkward, but I, at least, was more nervous. "Gangrel's going to do his level best to rile everyone."

"And mine is probably the quickest of our little group." He sighed. "Thank you."

"It's really nothing. Just trying to repay some of the kindness."

"Kindness isn't something that needs to be repaid." He smiled at me and, a little shyly, pulled me even closer. "If anything, I owe you. You've done so much for me, I…" He trailed off, looking a little uncertain, before shaking his head and facing forward. "Later. This is too serious for such a debate."

"My, my, what is this~?" Gangrel asked then, looking down at us. It was time for the 'show' to begin. "The Exalt herself in all her radiance? I fear I must shield my eyes!" Gangrel cackled before sweeping into a rather elegant bow, for all that he looked like a court jester. "I do believe this is the first time we've met face to face."

"It is indeed, King Gangrel," Emmeryn replied. She bowed to him as well, and kept her expression serene. "I've come to learn the truth about this… unfortunate incident."

"Oh, if you want the truth, I can give it to you." A woman slinked up then, and I blinked at the amount of skin she showed. That wasn't a very smart thing to do in a place like Plegia, which was more than half desert. Scorching sun, gritty sand, and exposed skin rarely mixed well, even with those with darker skin, like hers. Besides, the sand could easily slip through the hems and collar of her outfit, meaning sand in very sensitive areas. It wasn't very practical at all. "If you do not mind my speaking, of course," the woman continued, completely oblivious to my trying to figure out why the hell she wore that outfit. Her tone seemed almost flirtatious, and I decided she purposely dressed that way to better seduce, and possibly kill, her victims. "Do you?"

"Of course I do not mind," Emmeryn replied. She still kept herself serene. "Perhaps my lady might honor me with her name first?"

"You may call me 'Aversa', Exalt Emmeryn." She smiled slowly, and I realized I… actually recognized that name. Vaguely. I mostly just remembered my mother praising a little girl who my father 'adopted'. But shortly after that, Mom escaped with us, so I'd never even seen the girl. That would explain the tattoos she wore, though. Among the Grimleal, many would tattoo themselves with the ink used to write tomes, allowing for faster casting times in exchange for pain. Few would have them so prominent, though. "Now, then about the girl…"

"Is she well?"

"Yes, she is…" Aversa gestured, and two soldiers walked up with a girl in a pink 'riding outfit' and falling about ringlets held between them. "You must forgive us for restraining her, as-"

"Unhand me, you gutter-born troglodyte!" the girl, obviously Maribelle, instantly snapped. She was _not_ helping her case, name-calling like that. It would've been better to act meeker. "I should-!"

"As you can see, she is perfectly safe," Aversa continued with a little sigh, as if exasperated. "This girl crossed the border without consent and, worse, wounded the soldiers who only sought to escort her back."

"You speak nothing but lies, hag!" Maribelle glared, and stopped struggling. "Did they not teach you how to speak truth wretched-crone school?!"

"You can forgive us for keeping such a rude little bird caged, yes? We tired more quickly of blows to the eyes than her trying to burn our ears off with meager insults."

"Such a violent temper certainly speaks of her guilt," Gangrel sighed mournfully. It sounded genuine enough to make me uncomfortable; he was a good liar. "By our laws, this would be quite the weighty punishment. And should she have actually been a spy, much like the ones who breached our border in the past..."

"I have done nothing wrong!" Maribelle snapped. She continued to glare and snarl, as if she was in charge. She definitely had far too much pride. "They razed an entire village! When I went to stop them, they kidnapped me! Let the plundered shops and charred homes serve as my proof!"

" _That_ , idiot girl, only serves that Ylisse has a bandit problem, something I've heard oft of late." Gangrel shrugged. "Nothing more, and nothing less. I shall, however, weep salty tears for your dead villagers, I assure you."

"That's not…!"

"Peace, Maribelle," Emmeryn interrupted. She shook her head and focused on Gangrel. "King Gangrel, I request that you release her at once. Surely we can work this out without the need for hostages?"

"Whyever would I think that?" Gangrel asked, looking surprisingly sincere. "You wouldn't have even come anywhere near here if we hadn't had her in our possession. You've proved quite well over the years that you never leave your ivory castle. Why, from my understanding, you just send your brother all over the place with his sheep or shepherds or whatever the hell they're called, making him do all the dirty work while you go about being the saint."

"That is…"

"Besides, why should I release her without so much as an apology? Why should I even bother with parley?" Gangrel scoffed. "I'm within my rights to simply have her head, and be home in time with supper!" He laughed as Chrom made to lunge, but I snagged his arm before he could. "Yes, yes, keep your dog prince on his leash, your grace. Someone might get hurt."

"My brother has nothing to do with this." Emmeryn looked up at Gangrel calmly. "You are the one who set this meeting up, King Gangrel. If you do not wish to parley, pray tell, why did you go through all this trouble?"

"Well, well, now we get to business at last." Gangrel snickered, clearly having fun with all of this. "I propose a trade, actually. You give me the Fire Emblem, and I'll give you Mary Contrary here in one piece."

"The… Fire Emblem?" For the first time, Emmeryn let her calm expression fall, replacing it with confusion. "Ylisse's royal treasure? Why?"

"Because I know the legend!" He gestured grandly, as if he were now on a stage. "The Fire Emblem is said to be the key to granting all of one's wishes! I have desired it for years, _years_!" He sighed, shaking his head. "Yet my birthday comes and goes each year, and nothing from Ylisse."

"The Emblem's power is not meant for granting wishes, King Gangrel. It is meant to protect the world." Emmeryn returned to her calm expression. "Would you claim so noble a wish?"

"I want what all Plegians want!" Gangrel smirked, and there was something broken and mad about it. "A grisly end to all of Ylisse! What could be more noble?" He cackled as Emmeryn simply stared, visibly startled. "Surely you've not forgotten what your father did! He named us heathens and his crusaded butchered countless of my people!"

"I…" Emmeryn shook her head. "I have never denied Ylisse's past wrongdoings, but I have sworn to atone for it. Ours is a realm of peace."

"Yours is a realm of hypocrisy! You did _nothing_ to help Plegia! You just ended the war and left us to piece it together ourselves!" He snarled down at her. "Now, give me the Fire Emblem, or the girl dies!"

"Your grace, just leave me!" Maribelle snapped _instantly_ , without even letting a silence fall. She struggled against the guards holding her. "I'd rather die than be used as a bargaining chip for this filthy reprobate!"

"Maribelle…" Emmeryn whispered. She hesitated, and in her eyes, I saw the very real fear that she would have to decide this, here and now. The Emblem, or her sister's best friend. "I…"

"Don't give them the Emblem," I advised, letting go of Chrom to walk to her side. Emmeryn turned to me, looking almost fragile, and I knew Chrom and Robin were glaring at me. I knew Lissa stared at me with horror. "He'll likely kill her anyway. Besides, do you even have it on you?"

"Well, no, I don't…"

"See? And he likely knows that." I shook my head. "He wants a war. He's going to get it. He's set this up far too perfectly. You made the mistake of thinking he wanted peace, and that his madness meant he was stupid. He's won. Do not promise him anything. Do not give him anything."

"But…"

"If you stall, I think I can sneak over and get to her." I looked her right in the eye. "It's going to be war, no matter what. Peace has been impossible since your father ravaged their lands. Do not fall for their trick any more than you already have, Emmeryn. I can get her."

She gave me a curious look then, and her eyes darted to Chrom for some reason before returning to me. Then she smiled slightly, though there was really nothing to smile _at_. "You've thought this out far more than me."

"I know Plegia's wrath a little better. That's all." I also was damned convinced that if Gangrel wanted the Emblem so much, it had something to do with the Grimleal. _That_ meant it had something to do with Grima. I remembered vague stories about how the Fire Emblem was needed to contact Naga in the past. It stood to reason that Grima could also use it's power; power was simply power, after all. "Gangrel's about to make another scene."

"Are you just going to stand around talking?" Gangrel groaned, proving my point. He brought up his hand and mimed out a talking action with it. "Taaaalk-talk-talk-talk. Boring, really. It's time that actions speak instead!" He gestured sharply, and Plegian soldiers jumped down the cliffside. "Negotiations are over! I'll have your Emblem if I have to pry it from your shiny dead hands!"

The soldiers lunged forward, and, noticing I had no time to draw blade, I threw myself in front of Emmeryn, planning on taking advantage of my ability to simply survive to get through the assault. However, someone blocked the attack and it took me a few blinks to realize that there was a white cloak whipping about in front of me. Chrom had moved to shield Emmeryn and me, and easily countered the attack, injuring, but not killing, the soldier.

"Stay back," Chrom growled. He shifted into a better stance, standing firmly in front of Emmeryn and me. "Or you'll suffer the same fate."

"...Chrom, you big idiot!" I snapped, annoyed. He turned to me, startled. I knew I should probably thank him, but he should've just kept silent, and not…! "I know negotiations are off and everything, but gods damn it!"

"Wait, what did I do?"

"Gangrel's about to tell you, I bet!"

"Huh, there's someone with half a brain among your group. Interesting," Gangrel murmured, looking actually intrigued for once. But them he smirked, broken and mad once more. "But she's right. That right there was a declaration of war if I'd ever heard one!" He laughed, and it just… sounded wrong. "A big, messy war that'll bleed Ylisse dry!"

"...Oh, damn it," Chrom mumbled. I simply sighed heavily. "Well, um…"

"Later," I replied. I couldn't really _blame_ him. Gangrel had launched the assault. It just… would've been better if someone other than Chrom had declared it. "I'm going to try and reach Maribelle before they kill her."

"...Please stay safe."

"I'll be back with her before you know it." I flashed a confident smile I didn't feel and started climbing up the cliffsides as the Plegian soldiers whirled about, gleefully laughing at the chance of fighting Ylisse. By the time I climbed up to where Gangrel and Aversa had been, the Shepherds were fighting, and my palms and fingertips were bleeding even through the gloves I wore.

Once there, I stuck to the edges of the cliffs, grimacing at how exposed this whole area was. There were not many places to hide, which was good when you were trying to find someone, but bad if you were trying to be sneaky about it. Thankfully, though, most were paying far more attention to the Ylissean soldiers and not to the hooded girl skulking about. So, I found Maribelle not far from the cliff I'd climbed, though certainly out of sight of the group. She was on her knees, with the soldiers holding her down, and Aversa stood in front of her, casually tossing her tome from one hand to the other.

"Poor, stupid girl," Aversa drawled, walking slowly to Maribelle. "Are you really worth fighting a war over?" She shook her head, laughing softly. "Years from now, you'll be remembered only as the girl who doomed House Ylisse. All because you decided to go and talk to the 'bandits' without any sort of back-up."

"I…" Maribelle began. Her earlier fire was gone, replaced with dread and tears. "Lissa… Chrom… I just wanted… to make their jobs easier… why did this…?"

"You may ask the gods when you see them. But I doubt you'll get an answer." Dark magic blossomed at her fingertips. "The gods don't care about insignificant people like you and me."

"If you're trying to make me cry, you'll have to try harder." Maribelle closed her eyes and lifted her head slightly, the picture of dignity. "Go ahead. You were planning it anyway."

"That I was." Aversa shrugged. "Goodbye, little rude bird." Just as she was about to cast the spell, though, the wind whipped up and battered the soldiers holding Maribelle, actually knocking them down. "What is this?!"

"Maribelle, let's go!" A child wearing an oversized hat and robes like Miriel rode up on a roan horse and held out his hand to her. "You're free!" he declared, stating the obvious. "Come on!"

"Aw, is this your little boyfriend?" Aversa asked, voice mocking and patronizing. "How precious."

"Don't talk down to me, witch!" The boy gestured with his other hand, and a fairly powerful Elwind ripped through the air and got her straight on. "Come on, Maribelle!"

"As if I'd let that stop me!" Aversa snarled and dark magic appeared around her. "I should-!"

"Enough of that," I replied, lunging forward and tackling her off her feet. " _Procul vis, non tamen."_ My blood burned as I called upon a 'dispel magic' curse, and I winced at the pain. Curses drained my blood, and health, so they were situational at best. If I weren't Grima's Vessel, though, I wouldn't even be able to do this. "Don't stand around, you two!" I swung at Aversa's back, and when she dodged, I elbowed her in the face before kicking her into the cliffside. "We're getting out of here, now!"

"R-right!" Maribelle yelped. She jumped onto the horse, and easily urged it into a canter. I jumped down the path, mostly to get out of sight of Aversa before she got a good look at me. I'd… likely already revealed myself with that little trick, though. It wasn't the best of plans, but I'd wanted a bit more time before she could retaliate. Hopefully, she'd just arrogantly assume the soldiers would get us and leave us alone. Soldiers were easier to avoid.

When I judged we were a 'safe' distance away, I urged the two to dismount and gave them some water. Maribelle did her best to guzzle without guzzling, flushing lightly as she spilled some. I chose to ignore it, and instead focused on the boy. "Who are you?" I finally asked. I somewhat recognized him, but I knew nothing but his face. "Well?"

"My name is Ricken," the boy replied. He looked far too pleased with himself. _Far_ too pleased. "I'm part of the Shepherds!"

"...There's a little kid in the Shepherds?"

He scowled instantly. "I am not a kid!"

"You're like twelve." He looked like a 'frail' twelve at that. "That's still a kid."

"I'm fifteen!" His scowl turned to a sulk. "Okay, fourteen-and-a-half."

"Fourteen." That was younger than Lissa. "Well, whatever. If you would like to be treated as an adult…" I gave him my drollest, sternest look. "Stupid plan."

"How was it stupid?!" He looked frustrated and angry. Maribelle kept quiet, but she did give me a curious look. She hadn't figured out why either. "I saved Maribelle!"

"Without backup. Without letting _anyone_ know that you were near, meaning that if something had happened, you'd be dead and _no one_ would know what the hell happened." I shook my head. "You escaped because I helped, and I was there by happenstance. Just because it happened to work out doesn't mean it wasn't a stupid plan. Only a child believes they alone can save anyone." I sighed. "Besides, you suddenly left during a declaration of war. People could make a good case that you left not to save Maribelle, but to deliver information to Plegia. I wouldn't be surprised if we have people doing that right now, desperate to save their own skins. In _that_ case, you would've been tried, and likely convicted, as a traitor."

"But..." He still looked frustrated, but there was a slight, _slight_ , bit of understanding in his face. At the least, he was thinking about it.

"It worked out, but not because you were the 'hero', and not because you're 'so strong'. It worked because you got very, _very_ lucky. That's not something to count on." Besides, this was war. War had no need for 'heroes'; those who conquered war were 'survivors' only. People made their own heroes from the aftermath, to make themselves feel better. "So…" A loud 'crash' made us jump, and I looked up to see a wyvern had crashed into the cliffside, one wing charred with a thunder spell. Its rider had an arrow through their eye. "We're getting to a secure section. I, at least, told Robin where I was going."

This was going to be very bad.

* * *

"If one more wyvern tries to bite me, I'm going to put its head on a spike," I growled, wincing as I moved. I'd gotten tackled by a wyvern while trying to dodge a second one, right into some rocks. "Maybe that'll freak the rest out and then they can leave us alone."

"I'm sorry, darling, were you speaking to me?" Maribelle looked up from tending to Ricken, looking rather tired. We were in an abandoned, broken down fort for the cover, though there wasn't nearly as much as I'd like. Ricken had taken a pretty bad hit due to being too slow to get out of the way. "I don't suppose you found me a staff?" she asked softly, looking down at Ricken.

"No, not yet." I winced as I noticed how pale Ricken was. "How is he?"

"He fell unconscious, but I do not think his life is in… much danger." She sighed heavily. "I learned to heal, but it appears that my knowledge is rather useless without a staff."

"Well, he's not dead yet. That seems far from 'useless'." I smiled at her, noticing that she'd taken the ribbons out of her hair and used them to secure the heavily makeshift bandages of random cloth we'd found for Ricken. "I'll check outside again. Maybe I'll get lucky."

"I fear I used up most of my luck." Still, she smiled back. "Then again, I am normally quite lucky. Though it's not really..."

"You're not dead yet either. Considering everything, that's some damn good luck on your part." I left before she could reply, keeping to the shadows as wyverns flew overhead. This ruined fortress didn't have a wall on one side, and no roof, except for a small, _small_ section, where Maribelle and Ricken were. Thankfully, few looked at a ruined fort for anyone, much less those to attack. The few who did… well, they didn't exactly stick around for long. Dying had a way of doing that.

Carefully, I stepped outside the ruined fortress, glancing around for anything that could be useful. I picked up a sword from a fallen soldier, leaving my near broken one behind. I snagged a couple of tomes for Ricken, just in case. I had to duck _under_ a corpse at one point as a wyvern rider flew too close, but that ended up being a lucky thing: that corpse had been a healer, and they'd had a Mend staff. I snagged it and quickly darted back into the ruined fortress, wincing as my back protested. The pain was mostly in my lower back, which… I apparently used a lot more than I would've thought. However, I made it back and passed Maribelle the staff. She seized it with a little joyful cry and I set about rechecking the area while she worked on healing up Ricken.

"This is perfect, darling," she whispered, smiling. Ricken, meanwhile, stirred slightly, and I was reminded that the Mend staff also helped restore some energy. "Thank you."

"I just… got lucky," I replied, smiling back. I leaned against the wall, sighing slightly. I was very tired, and I had no idea how much longer I'd have to guard the two. We were near the edge of the battle, and it was clear even from here that the others were having a tough time. A lot of pegasus knights had died already; I had no idea if any Shepherds were dead or not.

"Might I ask you something?" She looked up at me. "You hold yourself with a certain… grace. Are you a noble?"

"Not… really, no?" I had to pause to think, though. Among the Grimleal, I had affectionately been called 'princess', and given my father was the Hierophant of the Grimleal, I supposed I was, technically, a noble of Plegia. The Hierophant, after all, held power equal to the King. "I certainly wasn't raised among nobility, if that's what you're asking."

"Oh, how surprising. I didn't think a commoner could be so dignified." She looked genuinely curious, so I bit my tongue to curb my sarcasm. It was not an uncommon belief among nobility, especially in Ylisse where the courts had lots of pride in their 'lofty' bloodlines. Chrom and Lissa were _very_ notable in how little they cared about status. "So peculiar. I suppose you must be the exception."

"I… highly doubt that." I shook my head. "Regardless, though-"

"Oh, yes, I almost forgot." She gave me quite the warm smile. "Thank you so much for taking care of Lissa on the way to Ylisstol. She told me all about it, you see. I'm glad to finally meet and thank you for that."

"...You're welcome?" I was about… ninety percent certain this girl took a head injury. "Is Ricken awake?"

"He is stirring. He might wake up soon and-" She screamed suddenly, and I whirled, barely blocking a sword strike. My eyes went wide as I realized just how close to death I'd been. "That's…"

"See if you can get him up, and hide in a corner!" I kicked my attacker between the legs and stabbed them through the back as they doubled-over, gasping in pain. It was then I realized something pretty bad: we had an entire group. "Gods, I hate you." One lunged forward and I made to parry, but a blade of wind shot over my shoulder. I glanced back to see Ricken was awake, if having to lean heavily against the wall to remain standing. Maribelle tried to tug him into a nearby corner, but he shook his head, stubbornly refusing. I almost told him off for it, since he looked ready to faint again, but more attackers came and I had to concentrate on fighting.

It was mostly sword users, no fliers or mages. Fliers were likely laying siege of the Shepherds, and mages must've been assisting. _This_ was designed to be a quick and efficient strike force, made for quick killings… or quicker kidnappings. It did _not_ escape me that these attackers were not striking to kill me. They struck to try and cripple, to knock me down and pin me. It worked to my advantage; _I_ had no qualms with killing them. But it definitely told me one thing; Aversa had put the pieces together and likely had gotten just enough of a look to give orders. I was to be 'captured', and unless Aversa was selectively stupid, my father would learn before the day was over that one of his precious 'Vessels' was among the Ylisseans.

I hated when I was stupid. I really did.

"Damn it!" I snapped as one attacker actually darted past me. I whirled, meaning to go after them, but someone caught me in a grapple, and I had to struggle to pull them off before I was pinned. By the time I threw them off, into some sharp rocks, the attacker was _right_ on Ricken and Maribelle, and Ricken was not fast enough to get a spell off. But someone else… was beyond fast enough. There was a blur of blues and whites, and it struck the attacker down in one quick strike straight through the back. It took me a couple of blinks to realize who saved them: Lon'qu.

"Made it," he murmured, turning to face me. His clothing was ripped slightly, and splattered with blood, but otherwise, he looked mostly fine. "Robin sent me ahead. We caught sight of the group heading here."

"Makes sense." I shrugged and smiled. Then I turned to Ricken and Maribelle. "And you two?"

"Well, Ricken needs to rest a bit more, in my opinion," Maribelle replied. She was on her knees, while Ricken leaning heavily against the wall. "Um… I need to thank you again."

"Thank _him_ ," I replied, pointing to Lon'qu for emphasis. He simply stepped away. "When, you know, he's not being stoic badass, I mean."

"Of course." She shifted as if to stand, but then paused, blinking slowly. "Uh oh."

"What's wrong?" Alarm flooded me. "Did you get hit?"

"No, no, I'm…" She laughed a little awkwardly, like she couldn't quite believe what was going on. "My legs… don't want to cooperate, though."

"Shock. It's fine." I helped her up, having her lean heavily on me. I glanced over at Ricken, and he just sat down, hiding his face in his knees. I hesitated before deciding to focus on Maribelle. I doubted he'd want reassurance from someone who scolded him, even though I was fairly certain he was going into shock too. "You went through a bandit attack, kidnapping, attempt of being used as a hostage, rescue from an execution, and now we're in the middle of a battle, which you don't have much experience with, right?"

"The way you say it, it's like you'd expect me to be screaming."

"More like a faint." I grinned as she scowled. "How are your legs?"

"...I… think I'm steady again?" She carefully pulled away and while her legs still shook, she was able to stand. "I might need help mounting up, though…"

"I'd give your legs a little bit more time to recover personally…" I looked back at Lon'qu. "I need you to guard Maribelle!" For a brief second, I saw very real fear in his eyes, but he masked it quickly. I remembered what Basilio had said and put a little more emphasis on what, exactly, was needed. "I need you to protect her. Her and Ricken."

He stared at me for a moment, before slowly nodding. "All right," he muttered. His expression was stonier than before. "I'll guard her. Them."

"Thank you," I murmured. I made sure to smile and then turned to Maribelle. "Stick with him. He's skilled and fast. I doubt any will hurt you with him as your guard, and when your legs are steadier, you can go back to the healing." I hesitated a bit before pulling a hair tie out of my pocket and tying her hair back in a simple ponytail. "From the looks of it, you have a preferred hairstyle that takes a lot of time to maintain. Use this until you can get back to that." I stepped away, and this time, I heard people approach. At least, I heard a person. "I'll be back. Stay here, you three."

I ran off before anyone could stop me, and had the chance to cut down one enemy before they even knew I was there. I didn't get so lucky with the second one, but I kicked them in the side and struck them down. I met the third outside the fortress, so I just shoved them off the cliffside before attacking some others. As I fought, I noticed something that made my stomach turn, though. These soldiers… many were younger than me. Many fought the same way, barely trained, clearly following a pattern, and not knowing what to when that pattern was disrupted.  
These soldiers likely had been simple merchants or something just a few weeks ago. Gangrel called for volunteers to fight Ylisse, they jumped on it, and now, they died simply because I refused to die until I _knew_ my father was dead. War… sucked. A lot.

As the last of them fell, a loud commotion made me turn. Then I blinked slowly as I took in the scene. There was a corpse at my feet, clearly someone who had tried to attack me from behind. Blondie stood just behind it, splattered with still dripping blood, axe casually resting on his shoulder.

"Don't worry!" he declared with a grin. "Teach has your back!"

"I feel so protected," I instantly retorted, more because sarcasm was easy when startled than anything else. When he made a face, though, I did smile. "Thank you… Vaike. I do appreciate not having sharp things in my back."

"Figured as much." He shrugged. "You fight like you're expecting Chrom there. Or, well, someone. Just, you know, it's been Chrom. So you don't watch your own back that much, instead keeping an eye on other things. But, Chrom's not here. Figured he'd want me to make sure your sexy back stays unharmed."

"Sexy back?" I rolled my eyes and he laughed. "Oh, whatever. Thank you." I paused, realizing something. "Wait, how long have you…?"

"Pretty much since you left that fortress thing. I came with Lon'qu, but he ran ahead when we noticed they'd beaten us." He shrugged. "I've just been behind you."

"Oh." Now I squirmed a bit. "Thank you. Again."

Thankfully, I was saved from further embarrassment and awkwardness. A strangled cry caught my ear then, and I jerked my head up to see Chrom… on the back of the enemy general's wyvern, having run the general through, and stabbed the wyvern in the head. Falchion glowed in his hands as he twisted and tumbled off just before the wyvern crashed down on the edge of a cliff and slid off. Both the wyvern and the rider hit some rocks hard, and it they weren't already dead, they were then. The rocks were too sharp for them to survive an impact like that.

"Points for dramatics, Chrom," Blon… Vaike instantly deadpanned. I could only nod in agreement. "I'll get him."

"Thanks," I murmured. I… honestly wanted to run and check on him myself, but I could see that Lissa and Robin were heading over here, so I chose against it. "Really, thanks."

"No prob." He shrugged and walked off, nudging some nearby corpses to make sure they were dead. As he did, Lon'qu walked out of the ruined fortress, carefully leading Maribelle and Ricken out.

Lon'qu then had to jump out of the way as Lissa, in tears, ran up and snatched Maribelle in a hug. "I'm so glad you're safe!" she sobbed. "Are you hurt?! Are you okay?!"

"Nothing I did not return twofold, darling," Maribelle replied loftily. She patted Lissa on the back. "There, there. I'm okay, darling. I'm just fine."

"B-but…"

"I'm fine, darling. Though, I _would_ feel better if you smiled."

"My apologies for interrupting, but we might want to move to a slightly more secure area," Robin murmured as he walked to my side and gave me a quick hug. He met Maribelle's dirty look with ease. "Yes, I know you're not fond of me, but I'm glad to see you're safe nonetheless."

"Oh, it's not a question of _fondness_ ," she instantly replied. She glanced at the still crying Lissa. "I'm just protective of my dear Lissa." She squirmed, and it was clear these next words weren't something she really wanted to say. "I do… apologize… for being curt though. And… and you have my thanks for being part of my rescue."

"You don't have to-" Robin yelped as I nudged his side. "I mean… you're very welcome." He gave me a look and I rolled my eyes. "Oh, what did I do wrong _this_ time?"

"Are… you two siblings?" Maribelle looked genuinely curious, while Lon'qu looked like he wanted to get the hell away from all us crazy people. "Lissa mentioned that his sister was joining the Shepherds as well…"

"We're twins, yes." Robin smiled, clearly quite proud of the fact. It made me smile. "Why?"

"Just… curious, really."

"All right?" Robin shrugged, and then glanced over to Ricken, who looked rather confused by everything. "Why is there a kid here?"

Ricken instantly squawked a protest, and I could only sigh. Here we go again.

* * *

The cliffs were dripping with blood. Corpses were piled from where they'd slid off the sides, but the terrain was still jagged enough that we could still reach them. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, though. I did know that there were so many wounded that those with 'minimal' injuries were just being bandaged up, and that Lissa and Maribelle were the only 'healers' about. Of course, _that_ part had been because a Plegian mage got lucky and landed a damn good fireball on our 'supplies' convoy, meaning that most of the weapons and staves in there were useless, and Lissa hadn't gathered extra staves before jumping into the fight. We lost a lot of people with the tomes went up and the magic went wild.

"We need better defenses for convoys," Chrom muttered. He held himself perfectly still as I worked on stitching up his side. He actually had wounds that would've 'qualified' him for a healing staff treatment, but he'd stubbornly refused, so here I was, making sure his side healed in one piece. "Tomes need their own section… spreading them out might just be a good idea in general…"

"Multiple tents for staves, at the least," I murmured. I reached up and tapped his arm with a bloody hand. "Shift your arm a bit more around me. How are you doing?"

"My arm is cramping, but that's it. The numbing herbs are still working." He sighed, and then winced. "Ow…"

"Focus on breathing as normally as possible. Your ribs are bruised." As could be expected. He'd killed the leader after letting their wyvern _literally tackle him so he could swing up_. "Reckless."

"It worked."

"And if it hadn't?"

"Well, I couldn't dodge anyway, thanks to my injured leg?" He smiled sheepishly as he used his free hand to point to it, like I hadn't bandaged it myself just a few minutes ago. "I mean; I could've ducked maybe, but wyverns have claws."

"Yes, they do." Though, the wound to Chrom's side wasn't from a claw, or even a weapon. He'd been hit when the tomes burned and the magic within them was released explosively, all because he'd gone to try and pull some people out of range. "Almost done."

"Thanks." His smile warmed. "Really, I appreciate it."

I said nothing in return, just focusing on stitching up the last of his injury before tying off the thread and starting to bandage him up. As I was tying it off, though, I winced, feeling pain ripple through my lower back. My own wounds did not like that I'd sat in one place.

I'd thought I'd hid my pain well, but as soon as I sat back, Chrom rested a hand on my shoulder and whispered, "did you get your own wounds treated?"

"Yes, I did," I murmured. I looked away as he looked more and more concerned. "I'm fine."

"...You mentioned, when we met, that Robin was a horrible liar and his most common one was 'I am fine'." Chrom squeezed my shoulder. "It seems to be your most common one as well."

"Really, I'm-"

"Let me see." He actually leaned down to catch my eye again, and gave me the most entreating look. "Please? You tended to mine. Let me make sure that yours are truly fine."

"You're really too kind."

"I see no kindness in simply wishing to take care of someone who takes care of me." He smiled slightly. "Please?"

"...Oh, I give up." I sighed, and turned around, pulling up my shirt to show him the injury on my back. "It's mostly a bruise with a bit of scraping."

"Actually, this looks like a gash." Chrom's hand gently touched my back, and I stiffened a bit from the pain. "Yeah, that's a gash. Here, I'll bandage it."

"Chrom, don't you-"

"Need to bandage you up, yes." He reached around me, already starting. "Unless… this might be bad enough to-"

"No healing staves. I don't want to waste the charge."

"Then deal with me bandaging you." He worked slowly, his touch incredibly gentle as he made sure the bandage was smooth and taut. It felt very… strange. I felt rather warm, all things considered, like I was resting in sunshine or… or something. It was very strange, and I found myself focusing a _lot_ on his hands. More than I thought necessary, at least.

As he tied off the bandage, I murmured, "thank you." I glanced at him over my shoulder as he sat back and I dropped my shirt. "Really, thanks."

"It's no trouble," he reassured. He smiled warmly. "Oh, should we continue that debate on kindness?"

"We could, I suppose. I still say you're far too kind."

"And I say that you only think that because you haven't had a lot of kindness." He sulked a little. "Rather, I'd like to spoil you. And Robin." The way he mentioned Robin almost made it seem like Robin was an 'afterthought'. "But you always fuss."

"No shit, I do." I pouted at him. "You're a prince. You have duties that don't involve 'spoiling' a random mercenary."

"What's wrong with spoiling a friend, though? Especially one that has done so much for me." He hesitated a bit. "Though… um… maybe I'm the only one who…"

"N-no, you're not wrong. I think." I squirmed a little. "I've… only had Robin for so long. I'm not… good at friendship…"

"I think Sumia would disagree." He smiled brightly. "And Lissa. And Virion. And-"

"I'm stopping before you list off most of the Shepherds because I know that's what you plan."

"Damn." He laughed a little, but then he stiffened. I turned to see Emmeryn walk up, looking strangely hesitant. "Uh…"

"How are you two?" Emmeryn asked. She tried to smile, but it faltered. I knew today weighed heavily on her, and now, she wasn't quite certain what to do. Especially since Chrom had correctly predicted it wouldn't work. "I saw…"

"We're all bandaged," I replied. I stood up slowly, and Chrom followed suit. He tried to put his shirt back on, but winced a bit as he tried to move, so I helped him. Or, tried to. "How the _hell_ do you wear this? Why, even?"

"It's not that hard." He laughed a little as I gave him an incredulous look. "See?" He held still as I finally got the shirt over his shoulders, and he deftly got his hand through the sleeves and buttoned it up. "Easy."

" _Why_ is there only one sleeve?"

"One of the castle tailor's daughter designed it. She was so excited about it that I asked for some clothes made with the design. The people seem to like it."

"You are a total dork." A little bit of giggling made me turn, and I remembered Emmeryn was nearby. Now giggling at us. "Uh…"

"Sorry, I couldn't help it," she explained. She looked a little more relaxed now. "I remember that time. She was quite enthusiastic, though she's promised that her next one will be better and more… 'rational', I think she said?"

"Maybe two sleeves," Chrom joked. He stepped around me, towards Emmeryn, but then hesitated, and simply bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Emm. I acted rashly and…"

"No, no, Chrom, do not apologize." She closed the distance between them and gathered him into a hug. "You were only protecting Kestrel and me. King Gangrel is the one at fault."

"But…"

"As I said before, he wanted a war, and he was getting one," I pointed out. I shook my head as he glanced at me. "I only snapped at you saying the declaration. It would've been better, politically and propaganda speaking, if Gangrel had said the official declaration. That's all." Honestly, both Emmeryn and Chrom unintentionally gave Gangrel all the openings he'd needed. Plegian morale would be _very_ high. "If only…"

"If only what?" Emmeryn prompted. She smiled sweetly at me as she pulled away from Chrom. "Please. I'd love to hear."

"It's a fool's thought, really." Still, I shrugged. "I was thinking that if you could talk to them directly, Emmeryn, you might be able to win them. Most Plegians I've met are just… angry and sad. They don't know why someone wanted them dead, just for existing. They find it hard to believe you, because you are distant, and because you are your father's daughter." I smiled slightly. "But… maybe if you could talk to them, and show them how sincere you are…"

"It didn't work on Gangrel."

"Gangrel is a king. A king must take on his people's wishes and wills. In many ways, a king is the embodiment of the people and their emotions. Just like you." I made myself smile, thinking of what Frederick said, the day we met her. I still thought it madness, but… "You took on your people's longing for peace, which you saw even through their anger, yes? It's the same thing. Gangrel took on his people's anger, and the madness that comes with obsession and revenge. So, of course you couldn't change his mind; you have to change the minds of his people before he can even begin to listen."

"...That's…" Emmeryn suddenly started laughing, and I flushed in embarrassment. "For a traveler, you certainly have the mind of a queen."

"I'm trying to be nice, and you just tease me!" My blush darkened and I scowled. "I just read a lot! Or, you know, as much as I could, considering everything. That's all."

"I must read those books, then."

"...Yeah, sure, I'm in the middle of some very ribald tales."

"Oh, that one. I read it." She continued to laugh as I stared. "Quite thrilling."

"That's one way to put it." I relaxed slightly, thinking bitterly that for as much as I'd complained about the people not seeing the 'real' Emmeryn, I'd done a bit of the same. I'd never have guessed that serene and calm Emmeryn would read smut. "Anyway, just do what you do, Emmeryn. Your people love you dearly, and they love Chrom and Lissa too. You can fix this mess."

"Thank you." She smiled warmly, and I got a sense that this was her very real smile. "I'm glad you think it can be fixed. It gives me hope."

"Oh, you'd get it back before long." I shrugged, ducking my head as embarrassment flooded me again. It didn't help that Chrom was also smiling softly at me, a smile that lit up his whole face. "I just… rambled until something made sense."

"Sometimes, that's all that's needed." She looked to something behind me, and smiled slightly. "Ah, Frederick…"

"Forgive me for interrupting, but according to Phila, we're ready to depart," Frederick said, walking up. He stood at 'attention' when he stopped, and looked even more serious than usual. "The Mad King is rallying his forces, if they are not mobilized already. We must return to the capital at once, and discuss our strategy."

"Yes, we do," Emmeryn confirmed. Her face fell, though. "War is upon on. We must protect the people, with all that we are."

"We will, my lady. I promise."

"Yes…" Emmeryn still didn't look quite convinced, and I didn't blame her one bit. After all, despite my encouragement, I had a bad feeling of things to come. A very, _very_ bad feeling.

...I was going to keep close to Emmeryn as we got back. Now would be the perfect time for an assassination.

* * *

 _Notes on Miriel_

 _Class - Mage; Reclass - Dark Magic, Troubadour_

 _The daughter of a very rich merchant and an acclaimed scholar, she'll sometimes talk as if she swallowed a damn dictionary and spit out every word in it. Also has some riding experience._

 _Fond of experimentation, to the point that she can actually be a bit of a ditz. Mostly because she just doesn't pay attention to anything but her studies, and she has zero common sense._

 _Highly perfectionistic, orderly, and efficient, she's probably the only reason why the barracks are in any way neat, and you can tell when she's been through._

* * *

Author's Notes: For a better explanation of Kestrel's 'curses', she requires an 'incantation' spoken in Old Plegian (Latin) and it burns off parts of her HP in order to use (like Gaiden's spells in general). There's little information on when Aversa was adopted by Validar, only that she was young, and bits of dialogue from supports hint she's 8-12 years older than Chrom (Meaning she's about 9-13 years older than Kestrel and Robin). As such, I'm choosing to have Kestrel 'aware' of Aversa, but never really met her. 'Hierophant' is a title used later in the game to refer to another character; I'm choosing to have it be the title for 'leader of the Grimleal' for convenience.

Ricken has speed issues. A lot. Of speed. Issues. In game, Maribelle starts with a Mend staff, but I had that 'found' instead since… it makes little sense for a hostage to have anything that could be used as a weapon (staves can be used to hit people, game mechanics be damned). Maribelle also has one of the highest luck growths of the first generation chars.

Next Chapter - Foreseer


	11. Chapter 6) Foreseer

Chapter 6) Foreseer

* * *

 _War has officially been declared. Once again, the continent will be split. This time, though, it's even worse, as we've dragged Ferox into the mess. For the first time in a thousand years, the entire continent of Ylisse will be at war, and all because of one man's vendetta against Plegia, and Grima._

 _How did I go from traveling mercenary on the run to in the middle of one of the biggest conflicts in recent history?_

* * *

The castle was in an uproar when we returned. The entire city, actually, was in a panic. Everyone knew. Everyone knew that we were going to war with Plegia once more. Which meant that as soon as we stepped inside the castle, Emmeryn and Chrom were being screamed at.

"How could you do this, your grace?!" "Your highness, how could you be so reckless?!" "Don't you know what this will do to the country?!" "How could you?!" Their shouts mushed together, and you could only get the idea of outrage, fear, and the desperate attempt to blame someone for the mess.

Frederick tried to push the rest of us Shepherds out of the way, as Emmeryn and Chrom dealt with the nobles. He even pushed away Lissa, who looked so tired, so resigned, and so aggravated. I gathered this was fairly typical. The sheltered princess, protected from everything. I wasn't sure if that was such a good idea. Being sheltered had caused my brother and I a lot of grief. It had cost others their lives.

Frederick nudged me, but I glanced back to where Emmeryn and Chrom were still being yelled at. Then, I snatched Lissa's hand, making her yelp, and I stormed right over to the group of nobles with her, ignoring Frederick entirely.

"Will you all shut the hell up?" I drawled, giving them my best exasperated look. The nobles reeled back, from the shock that someone like me would _dare_ speak to them. "Stop trying to push the blame on a single person. This whole mess is your fault too. Or do you think the Plegians didn't notice the steadily rising tariffs _some_ of you imposed on your goods?" I nudged Lissa towards her siblings and crossed my arms, meeting their outraged looks with ease. Far more ease than I should. I was bluffing. "I understand that Ylisse law lets you do that, so long as the increase is under a set percentage per year." Now that I _did_ know, because some mercenaries I traveled with commented on how 'hands-off' Ylisse was with its nobles. This was why I was even doing this damn bluff in the first place. "But little things add up, and you have been reaping those benefits. Plegia _notices_."

"How _dare_ you?" one hissed. A very portly looking man, whose shirt alone probably cost enough to buy a village food for a damn year. Indigo was a _very_ expensive dye. "Who do you think you are, you-?"

"Insult her, and you insult me," Chrom instantly growled. He stepped around Emmeryn to stand in front of me protectively. The portly noble actually took a step back. "This is Kestrel, one of my Shepherds, and a dear friend."

"I'm also a traveler, so I actually know something about the world," I added. I felt strangely vindicated, for some reason. "Unlike you lot, you really like keeping to yourselves, and forcing Emmeryn to play the same games of manipulation and pretty poison words. Besides, were you so self absorbed that you didn't even hear of how the thing happened?" I hesitated only briefly before smiling at Lissa. Her eyes were wide, nervous, but sparkling with determination. She realized what I was doing, and loved it. "I'm sure Lissa can explain better than me."

"Well, I can certainly explain!" Lissa chirped. She put on her best smile as she looked at the gathered nobles, clasping her hands behind her back to hide how they shook. "This all happened because a village was attacked, and Maribelle went to help. Then she was captured, and used as a hostage!" Her voice shook, and she ducked her head. "Then there was some negotiations, only King Gangrel didn't want to negotiate. He wanted just to mock us. And maybe we made mistakes, but we are trying, you know?" She glanced up tentatively, and I smiled at how the other nobles squirmed. It was _much_ easier to be mad at Emmeryn or Chrom; Emmeryn was calm, and Chrom had a temper. But Lissa was a sweetheart, and it was hard to be mad at someone who reminded you of a kitten. "They attacked first. Chrom might have said some… aggressive words, but it's only because they tried to kill Emmeryn and Kestrel! And then we got hit by a whole army!"

"He's had his army mobilized," Chrom whispered. He relaxed only slightly. "He went there ready for war. Unfortunately, we gave him the openings he needed. But now, we really need to plan for war. We don't have an army. I'll be heading to Ferox within the next few days to gain theirs. But we have work to do _here_."

"We must also calm the people," Emmeryn added. She smiled kindly at the nobles. "Please. They will be the ones suffering most from this. It is our duty to protect them, and we must do all we can." She shook her head and gestured to the hall. "Come, though. I will hear your complaints, providing you actually take turns so that I can understand." She easily led them down the hall, quite clearly in command once more.

As soon as they disappeared, Lissa buckled and I barely caught her before she fell. "Holy wow, that was something," Lissa laughed, the nervous sort of laughter of someone who didn't believe they pulled something off. "Ugh, I thought I was used to talking to people."

"You're probably not used to calming a crowd, though," I pointed out. I gave Chrom an exasperated look. "Although I don't know why. You've a sweeter face than those two."

"B-but Emm's pretty!"

"But she doesn't look all cute and innocent, and make you feel like you've kicked a kitten when you make her frown." I prodded Lissa's cheek for emphasis, and laughed as she squeaked. "Emmeryn is serene, and Chrom has a temper. They're easier to be mad at."

"I suppose?" Lissa looked confused, but then smiled brightly. "I helped~!"

"That you did," Chrom murmured. He smiled softly at her, and reached over to ruffled her pigtails, making her squeak. "I guess fifteen is old enough to be dragged into such things."

"I am a little tired of being shown the door," Lissa grumbled. She pouted up at him. "You've been helping Emm since _you_ were like… ten! But whenever I try, you're both just like 'oh, you just need to smile!'."

"Well, it's true. You smile, and both of us feel like we're succeeding in what we do." Chrom grinned as she squirmed. "I just don't tell you because you normally try to hit me when I do."

"It's embarrassing!" She huffed before giggling. "Oh, whatever. I'm going to go to Maribelle. She's meeting her dad here." Lissa skipped off, humming to herself.

I laughed as I watched her leave, before glancing at Chrom. "I speak from experience when I saw sheltering proves detrimental," I explained. I felt I needed to. "So, I thought I'd drag her over. I was rather mad at them anyway."

"I wondered," Chrom whispered. Still, he smiled. "So, tariffs? Is that something I need to look into?"

"Maybe. I'd said it as a bluff, but they squirmed at it, so maybe I hit something there. Especially indigo fellow. He's clearly rolling in money."

"How can you tell by a look?"

"Indigo. Shirt. That shit is _expensive_." I nudged his side and pointed to his clothes. "So is blue. And a stark white cape."

"Okay, okay." He sighed. "Well, that's another thing on my list."

"Might I assist?"

"Don't you want to rest?"

"Don't you?" I smiled as he sighed again. "Come on. We'll drag Robin into it. I'm sure he's still up."

"Fine, I give." He even threw up his hands, and I laughed. "This way to the archives, then."

* * *

The three of us researched things in the archives for a good long while. I focused more on the tariffs, since I'd been the one to bring them up. Robin focused more on tactics Plegia had used in the previous war, and on the tactics favored by the Ylisseans and Feroxi. Chrom flipped through what supplies Ylisse had for a war effort, and making calculations of what all we'd need.

Some time after our third set of candles burned down to awkward piles of wax and wicks, Emmeryn and Frederick came in to chase us out. I tried to ignore them, but Frederick stole my notes from me to continue them himself. I tried to protest, but Emmeryn actually snagged me for tea in her room. Chrom and Robin, giving up on protesting, headed out to the courtyard for fresh air, and likely some heart to heart conversation.

"I do not think I've thanked you properly for all that you've done for us, Kestrel," Emmeryn murmured as she poured the tea, some sort of citrus blend based on the smell. "Duke Themis is hoping also to thank you personally for coming to Maribelle's rescue."

"I really don't need the thanks," I mumbled, feeling a bit awkward. I glanced around the room to try and hide it, though, and I noticed how… bare the room was. This was Emmeryn's personal room, yet there was next to nothing. A little table where we sat. A bed. Some simple lace curtains fluttering in the breeze, since the windows were open for fresh air. A couple of framed pictures. A book on the single pillow on the bed. A couple of flowers on the windowsill, in simple clear vases. That was it. "No dolls?"

"All my dolls went to Lissa. We didn't really have enough to justify buying new ones for her when she was born, since everyone was hurting. So, Chrom and I gave Lissa our toys instead." She sat back down and smiled sweetly at me. "I suppose I just never had time to really pick up trinkets. I have a separate room for jewelry, though."

"No presents from Chrom and Lissa?"

"I'm reading Chrom's latest present." She pointed to the book and laughed again. "The Exalt is expected to make a show. I like being surrounded by simple things. Chrom makes sure to get me simple things. Lissa likes bringing me flowers." She pointed to the flowers on the windowsill. "There's also the more extravagant things, but those are away from my personal chambers, like I said. Except for the tea." She made a little face. "I simply cannot stand bad tea. I can handle bad anything else, but not that."

"You've had to handle 'bad' anything?" I smiled slightly, noticing how _relaxed_ she was. It was like 'The Exalt' had been left outside the room, and so, I spoke only to Emmeryn, 'The Girl'. The girl she might've been if she'd had an actual childhood. "I'm surprised."

"We have festivals, where Chrom and I serve as the 'final judges' for competitions. Pies, songs, poems…" She made another face and I burst into laughter, barely able to imagine it. "It is quite amazing how many ways you can butcher a pie."

"Chrom literally knocked Vaike out with whatever he made, so he has no right to complain." I relaxed slightly as she giggled. "So, did you bring me in to gossip or did you want to ask me something?"

"I _did_ have one question." Her cheer faded slightly, but her eyes held only curiosity. "You were adamant in that we not give in to King Gangrel's demands. Why is that?"

"If he put on a show for the thing, clearly you need to not give in to him." My voice was drier than I wanted, but she simply sipped her tea, and waited. "If he wanted it that badly, it's likely something the Grimleal wanted. Which wouldn't be good."

"Why? What could they do with it?"

"..." I fiddled with my teacup, my stomach rolling. But I did need to… warn her… "Your father…" My voice rasped, and my hands began to shake. I set the teacup down and clasped my hands to hide it. "He either had a good reason to launch his assault, or got damn lucky."

"He… what?" Emmeryn looked genuinely startled. "What do you mean?"

"I…" My mouth was dry, and my voice was raspy. I wanted to stop. I didn't want to remember. I didn't want to reveal my past, especially to an Ylissean. But I… I needed to trust 'someone' with this knowledge. I couldn't be the _only_ one to know. "The Grimleal… well, he shouldn't have turned it all on Plegia. He was wrong on that. All Plegians are technically part of the religion, but most of them just think it's… lip service. Plegia is a theocracy, and all, and someone has to pay tribute to destruction." Though, given the Grimleal and their curses, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if there was a little bit of mental manipulation there. "There's a strong belief of 'fate' and 'destiny' in Plegia as well, so many think that it's actually Naga in the wrong, for going against destiny. For changing fate. And there's more complicated things too. I mean; Plegia is a country full of people. People are complicated."

"Yes, they are. Though, I hadn't known Plegians had such a strong belief in fate."

"How strong depends on the region, and even whether one is 'noble' or in the slums. Which, I mean, you see in most countries. The well-off go 'this is the will of the gods and you are horrible to try to change it'. Why _would_ they want to change it? They benefit from how things are."

"I suppose." She gave me a calm look. Not pressing, but with a distinct air of how she knew I was stalling.

I squirmed a bit before continuing. "What most people don't know is… that the Grimleal, the higher ranked members, those of the Inner Circle… they are actually planning on bringing Grima _back_."

"...Would he not come back normally?" Emmeryn looked confused then. "The stories all say that Naga told the First Exalt to ensure the Falchion and Fire Emblem remained safe, as darkness would come once more."

"No offence, but if we go look at history, that's not some great prophecy. That's just logic. You had Medeus _thrice_ , back when this continent was known as Archanea. Then you had Grima, who just popped out of freaking nowhere." No one had any idea. Just one day, a gigantic flying dragon, larger than a castle, emerged from Dragon's Table and began annihilating everything. Some thought he was born from the Earth Dragons, sealed beneath the Table, but no one knew. "But even Medeus didn't come back alone, Emmeryn. He came back through someone's use of dark magic."

"That… is true." She hummed a little in thought. "I suppose our ancestors simply… misinterpreted. The world is a cycle of light and dark."

"Or she saw the future. Who knows? Point is, Grimleal? Trying to bring back Grima. Resurrect him. Meaning that… even though he went _way_ overboard, and even though he targeted the wrong people… your father did have cause for attacking." I paused, thinking. "Though, overboard. Killed a bunch of people who had _no_ clue. Nearly destroyed his own country in his well-intentioned madness. And, you know, he might've just gotten lucky with his bigotry."

"He still left quite a mess for me, and for Chrom." Emmeryn fell silent, sipping her tea. I tried to mirror her movements, but my hands were still shaking, and the tea was cold. It felt like a lump of ice, and I tasted nothing but my nerves. "If this is such a secret, then…"

"How do I know?" My voice shook again. "It's… simple. I was… I was born into it. The Inner Circle. My parents were… high ranked members of the Grimleal." My father was the Hierophant, the leader, inherited from his own father as a failed Vessel. Mom had been the High Priestess of Shadows, the second highest rank among the Grimleal, a rank she had earned through her skill, cunning, and power. That was why the two had been wed, and the Grimleal had looked to Mom as their salvation when she gave birth to _two_ Vessel, the elder of which was a 'perfect' Vessel. Then she'd run, taking us with her. "So, I… was raised among them, until our father tried to…" Tried to 'start' the Awakening, and it failed, but it cursed Robin with white hair and a frail disposition. They had been missing something. I wondered now if the Fire Emblem had been that 'something'. "Sacrifice us. To Grima."

"Sacrifice?!" She looked so alarmed that I burst into laughter. "I… I fail to see how that's funny!"

"I've spent most of my damn life knowing that I was born to be a sacrifice, Emmeryn. I was literally born to serve Grima." To be a Vessel. To be broken into his right hand general while he used Robin's body as his own. "The only person who protested was Mom. She took us and ran, using the war as cover. She ran and ran, fought and fought." But she had sheltered us too much, and so, when she had died, Robin and I had known next to nothing. "It's a disbelieving laugh. I'm surprised someone else cares."

"That's…" She shook her head. "Why? Why would he…?"

"I…" I hesitated a bit more. I was so scared. But I… I had to trust, right? I had to. Being the only one to bear this knowledge… someone else had to. I didn't know how to bear it all alone. "...Naga…" My voice shook so much. "Naga isn't… the only one with… a bloodline…"

"A bloodline? What would that…?" Her eyes widened, and her hand came up to touch the Mark on her forehead. "Grima has a… and you and Robin…?"

"...Yeah…" I ducked my head, tense enough to shake. I was terrified. Was she going to scream? Was she going to condemn me? Was she going to throw me to the wolves? Probably not, she was peaceful. Would she tell me to leave, though? I wasn't sure I wanted to.

There was the sound of movement and, to my utter shock, I soon felt her wrap her arms around me in a very, _very_ warm hug. "Oh, Kestrel…" She kissed the top of my head, and I was so reminded of Mom that I felt a near overwhelming urge to cry. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry you had to deal with all of this."

"...You're not…"

"Of course not. You're a wonderful person. A wonderful and kind person who has done so much for us. If anything, you are simply proof that just because someone is of the dark, they do not have to be evil. Darkness is not inherently bad, nor is light inherently good. We need only look to my own father for proof of the latter, even if there was some justification to his madness." She tightened her hug and, hesitantly, I leaned into her, closing my eyes. "You will always have a home here, Kestrel. Never doubt that."

"Even if people come after Robin and me?"

"You think Chrom and the rest of the Shepherds will let anyone hurt you?" She pulled away and crouched down slightly, wiping my face with her sleeve. There weren't tears, but I knew the motion was more symbolic anyway. She was 'wiping away' all the tears I'd shed in the past. "Truthfully, I'm not sure they'll just let you leave either. They love you and Robin."

"Everyone's weird."

"Weird is good, though." She smiled warmly. "It's weirdness that pushes for change."

"What about brokenness?"

"They're the ones who know what needs to be changed, to make the world a little better." She laughed a bit. "Which is what we need to do. We make the world a little better for those who come next. Each generation makes things better. Sometimes, we misstep and fall backwards, but we keep going."

"...I don't know if that's profound or naive." I still smiled back at her, though. "I like it."

"I'm glad. Phila tends to give a 'that's nice, your grace'." She made a little face, and I laughed. "Ah, but that's enough of serious talk. I'll warm the tea back up, and I did want to talk with you about the Ribald tales, and ask you a bit about Chrom."

"About Chrom?" That confused me, and for some reason, my voice went a little squeaky. She giggled in response. "H-hold on, why would-?"

Everything after that was a bit of a blur. I caught a shadow in the window, and immediately lunged to tackle Emmeryn. Just in time, as two arrows thudded into the knocked over table. Strangely, nothing shattered, maybe because of the rug I hadn't noticed, but the tea certainly created a very odd stain on said rug. I automatically reached for my sword, before realizing I didn't have it. I'd given it to Virion for maintenance.

A figure in a brown cloak and dark armor appeared on the windowsill, knocking over the vase. _That_ one shattered, the water and glass shards glinting eerily in the moonlight, but the assassin didn't seem to notice. Whoever it was focused solely on Emmeryn, which told me a few things, mostly that this assassin's target was Emmeryn. Not me. And likely a fairly new one, since they didn't seem to think I was a threat.

So, I glanced around, noticed that they were still dramatically on the window, and then rushed them, shoving them out the window. They yelped, and flipped, catching the sill. I snagged a glass shard and stabbed their hand, though, and they fell with a little scream.

I tossed the shard after them, and leaned over the sill a bit, noticing that the courtyard below was _swarming_ with people in dark armor. Then I rocked back on my heels, and turned to the very startled Emmeryn. "It seems Plegia sent assassins after you," I told her. "I wouldn't be surprised if they sent them after Chrom and Lissa as well. Nothing will destabilize Ylisse better than the royal family dying, and…"

"And my father did the same to Plegia's previous royal family," Emmeryn whispered. She gradually regained her calm. "Though, I suppose he missed one?"

"Gangrel is from the slums. He won the favor of the Grimleal, and they instated him as king. Your father was _very_ thorough in killing of the Plegian Royal family. Perhaps he thought they were the ones in charge of the resurrection. Or he just wanted to wipe out the Plegians."

"Ah." She pushed herself up and brushed off the front of her skirt. "There's a suit of armor not far away from here. You can probably take the sword?"

"Sounds good." I already started for the door. "Let's find the others."

* * *

The entire place was chaos. The bodies of dead soldiers and servants littered the halls. We found Frederick fairly quickly, though, and Phila. Phila was quickly sent to take care of the ones outside, while Frederick joined me in trying to find a defensible room for Emmeryn and trying to find the others. We seemed to just find more assassins, though, and my borrowed sword was soon dripping with blood. I was incredibly, _incredibly_ jumped.

So, that was why I nearly decapitated Chrom. In my defense, though, he nearly did the same with me. We stared at each other for a long moment, our swords at each others' neck, not _quite_ comprehending who we were looking at, only that there wasn't any danger. For now.

"Hey, she's pretty, but now isn't the time to have a moment." The voice was light, feminine, and a little sarcastic, and someone stepped up, someone with long blue hair and matching eyes. "My pardon, my lady," she continued, focusing on me. She pulled her hair in front of her left eye, and I noticed it was a slightly lighter shade of blue. Some regions had a prejudice against heterochromia, believing that they were children possessed by demons. I guessed she'd dealt with that. "Things have been rather hectic."

"Clearly," I replied, my voice just as sarcastic. I brought my sword back down my side and focused on her. We were about the same height, I noticed absently, but my eyes focused more on the diadem she wore. That, and the clothes, told me who this was easily. "Well, Marth, it seems you pulled the same trick I used to."

"Trick?"

"Pretending to be male. Though, how did you tuck your hair up?" It was quite long, mid-back. Though, there was something else that bothered me. "Oh, wait, your diadem is messed up." Automatically, I reached up to fix it, and Marth just simply stared at me. "...Sorry. It's been an intense few hours."

"N-no, it's fine!" She squeaked and ducked her head. "My hair is layered. So, a friend helped me tuck and pin the longer strands."

"Oh, and then a sudden movement dislodged them? Probably the same one that removed your mask?" I moved behind her and caught some of the pins still dangling in her hair. I picked them out, and she squirmed. "...I really should ask first."

"No, it's fine!" Her ears were red. "B-but… um… assassins?"

"Right." I looked up, and noticed Chrom and Emmeryn were hugging, while Frederick and Robin whispered. "What's the plan, boys? I'm glad you're not dead, by the way, Robin."

"Glad to be acknowledged!" Robin laughed. His eyes danced, letting me know the words were teasing. "Frederick says there's a good room this way. It has a window, so we'll need two guards, but it's the best option from here."

"Good to hear," I replied. I fluffed Marth's hair a bit, to make sure there were no more pins. "Has anyone found Lissa?"

"Not yet, but I'm not as worried. The least skilled were probably sent at her, and she was last seen in the barracks with the rest of the Shepherds." Robin's smile faltered. "But I would like to get that confirmed. But first, that room."

We moved quickly and easily. Marth kept close to me, for some strange reason, and a couple of times, I almost thought I felt her reach for my hand. But each time, she pulled away, and there really wasn't a chance to ask her about it. Especially once we got _into_ the room.

"Is this really the best room?" I whispered, wincing as the sounds of battle echoed in. We were in a corner room, and not that far from the battle. "Well, it's easily defensible, I suppose." I still wasn't comfortable, especially since it had already been determined that Marth and me were guarding Emmeryn here.

"That it is," Chrom agreed. He glanced around slowly, sighing a little. "Emm's trying to convince Frederick to take us and run."

"...No offense to her, but she's met Frederick, right?" I smiled slightly as he snickered. "Though, knowing Frederick as I do, which is admittedly not much…" I gestured around the room. "Is this really the best spot?"

"It is, given one little thing." Chrom moved a little closer, and pulled me towards the corner of the room. "There's a hidden door here." He gestured to where it was before pointing to a little candlestick not far from it. "Pull that down, and the door will open. It leads all the way outside the palace. If you get overrun, take Emm and Marth and run. Regroup with Phila outside."

"So that's the main reason." I bit my lip, thinking quickly. "How many people know of this?"

"Very few, and most of those who know were told in the last days of my father's reign." He smiled a little. "You're actually the first person I've told."

"I can't decide if I'm flattered by that trust, or if I want to bat at you for telling me, instead of waiting for Emmeryn to show me."

"It's just us, here." His smile widened slightly and he stepped back, looking at Frederick and Robin. "So, have you two finished with the pointless arguing yet? I'd like to see who else is fighting. I'm hoping it's my Shepherds."

"They're done," Robin answered for them. He emphasized it by grabbing Frederick's arm and pulling him towards the door. "We'll see you three later!" The three left quickly, likely to avoid Emmeryn sulking at them.

She sighed heavily, shaking her head. "Oh, goodness, why don't they listen?" she murmured, clasping her hands. "My life is not worth theirs…"

"That's not for you to decide," I replied. She gave me a curious look. "A person determines their self-worth, but whether or not they are 'worth' hell? That's not for them to decide. That's for the people around them. It's a testament to how much they love and respect you." I smiled slightly. "Well, I don't have a right to talk. I get in little arguments with Chrom over how he's too kind to me." We fell silent then, mostly because we had no idea how to keep the conversation going. Especially since the sounds of battle quickly became even fiercer. Yet here we were, stuck in this room, unable to join.

I hunted around, looking for something to comment on, and I noticed Marth was fiddling with something. I studied it a moment before I realized that I knew her necklace. I wore one like it, the 'traveler's protection' charm from the Feroxi girl.

"I see you got one too," I whispered to her. I pointed to her necklace when she gave me a confused look. "It's a charm for safe travels, right? Did a little girl give it to you? I got mine from her; her mother made _beautiful_ necklaces in the market."

"Oh, no, I…" Marth hesitated before continuing. "My mother… gave it to me. Before she died."

"...I'm sorry for bringing it up."

"No, no, I don't mind." She smiled, and the smile was warm, if pained. "I love my mother. I don't mind remembering her. If I could only have half as much strength as she…"

"Try not to put your mom on a pedestal so much." I smiled wryly, thinking of my own. "She was human. You are too. Besides, the best way to get damage on a person is through momentum."

"Momentum?"

"Yeah, like what Chrom did to flip you. That's my trick. You block and twist them off balance, and then let their momentum cause the damage needed to take them out." I shrugged. "I block and counter frequently too, but really, if you manage to get enough speed and momentum on a strike, forget strength."

"...Oh." She smiled shyly. "My mother… mentioned she used a foe's weight against them."

"Smaller people tend to do that. Lower center of gravity and all. More stable." I glanced back at Emmeryn, who listened with rapt attention. "You want to learn, Emmeryn?"

"I… well…" Emmeryn began. She sighed, though, and shook her head. "I'd… better not. I even gave up my mage training to learn how to be a cleric to show how determined I was to atone for my father."

"It's still good to know how to defend yourself," I pointed out. Still, I smiled and shrugged. "Then again, you're devoted to pacifism. It's hardest when people are trying to kill you."

"Yes, but I… I do believe in it. So, I must serve as an example." She laughed, but it was surprisingly bitter. "Perhaps I am a poor ruler. I went from one extreme to the other, but a ruler should be more… flexible. For the sake of the people." Her eyes were sad, but resolute. "But, I'll stick with this course. I do not think it is a wrong one."

"...That went way more philosophical than I expected." I grinned and she smiled sheepishly. "Relax, Emmeryn. You can have an existential crisis later, when everyone is fine."

A small commotion caught our attention then, and Marth and I peeked out the door to see that there was a woman wearing unusual purple armor and patches of fur in random places speaking to Chrom. Her eyes were harsh and cold, and I noticed her twin braids were two colors, with a noticeably pale streak strangely going straight through, like the braids were actually wrapped around something.

"Oh, Panne…" Marth breathed. She looked conflicted. "Damn, she's earlier than I thought she'd be."

"You knew she was coming?" I asked, giving her a skeptical look. "Really?"

"Yes?" She hesitated a bit. "I… know the future?"

"Oh, Foresight. I'm told it's quite the 'gift'." I shrugged, sighing, and Marth gave me a startled look. "It's a lesser known magic, but one nonetheless. Go on and reassure Chrom. Don't worry. He'll believe you."

"...Okay." She gave me a smile, far brighter than I would've thought, and scampered over to where this 'Panne' and Chrom were.

The sound of stone grinding on stone caught my ear, and I turned, frowning. Emmeryn also looked confused, and then turned her attention to the hidden door in the corner. Only the door was hidden. It was _opening_.

I took a step forward, intending on grabbing Emmeryn and running, but then I froze as the door fully and I saw just who was there. I… knew him. I knew the robes he wore, the Ceremonial Robes, worn when delivering a sacrifice to Grima. I knew the headpiece he wore, the 'crown' of the Hierophant. He had white in his beard now. He had grey hair at his temples. There were some lines in his harsh, smirking face.

"Well, well… aren't I lucky today?" he whispered. His eyes flicked over to me, and the smirk grew. "Aversa told me that you were here, my little fledgling." He brought up his hand as I still tried to process what was going on, and I felt a sensation of icicles sinking into my head, my mind, and holding me in place. "Stay. Still."

Mental manipulation. It was a curse taught only to two people among the Grimleal: the Hierophant and the High Priestess. It was Grima's greatest 'gift' to his bloodline. Technically, Robin and I could do it, but we didn't know how. Mom had never taught us, and I was glad for it, even if it might've made some things easier.

But the curse was a strong one, and my father was a particularly skilled practitioner, since he'd been _so close_ as a Vessel. I was of his blood, meaning he didn't even need to say a word to use it on me. He simply had to call on that shared blood and let it be the catalyst instead.

"Let her be." Emmeryn's voice cracked through the air, and I'd never heard her speak so coldly before. "You may do what you wish with me, but leave her alone," she whispered, giving Validar a calm look that had all the fire and fierceness of a glare. "If you wish to kill me, then get on with it."

"Oh, I do, but if that was all that I wanted, I would've sent someone else," my father replied. He chuckled and the sound made my skin crawl. "I wanted to retrieve my escaped fledgling."

Fledgling, fledgling. It had always been his name for me. Mom had named Robin and me, but he had been the one to nickname us. I had been 'his little fledgling', the one he'd praised with great enthusiasm. 'His little fledgling', who he'd sneak out of lessons and out of the temple, the Table, to show the sun and the sparkling sands of the Plegian desert. 'His little fledgling', who he'd hold and whisper stories long after Mom had decreed it was time for bed. 'His little fledgling', who he'd help set up little pranks on the others and laugh at their squeaks and squawks. 'His little fledgling', who he'd hold up high and show the stars. 'His little fledgling', who he happily declared would be one to 'usher a new age upon the world!'.

'His little fledgling', who stupidly thought he loved her, and not who she was 'destined' to become.

"Kestrel is her own self." Emmeryn's words were still quiet yet fierce. "Not yours."

"Yes, she is mine." My father's words were haughty, mocking. I hated it. I hated him. "She is mine. Mine by blood."

"If I…" I hissed, anger flooding me. All those times, all the pain… "Oh, if only I could rip your blood out of my veins!" That anger gave me courage, and the strength to push through his curse. "My life would've been so much easier if I didn't have your cursed blood!"

"Hush, fledgling," my father replied, pressing the curse deeper into my head. Trying to make me pliant. But it wouldn't work. The resistance, the life, the stamina that made me an 'imperfect' Vessel meant I could resist him too! "Let me finish here, and then we'll go home."

"In case you haven't notice, bastard, _I'm not a fledgling anymore_!" I lunged forward, pushing all the strength I could into my legs to get momentum. I crashed into my father, and we crashed through the cracked window with a far too loud _shatter_. Shards dug into my skin and down, down, down we fell, towards the courtyard below with Emmeryn's terrified scream echoing somewhere behind us.

As I fell, I thought of Robin. I thought of Chrom. I thought of Sumia and Lissa and Virion. Frederick, Sully, Stahl. Miriel, Lon'qu, Vaike. Maribelle, Ricken. I thought of all of them, and I realized, just before I hit, that despite making a suicide pact, despite planning this moment to happen for years, I… I didn't actually want to die. _I didn't want to die_.

I hit the ground hard, and white hot pain screamed up my arm and leg. I gasped, tears pricking my eyes as I struggled to stand, or even just push myself up. It took a second for me to realize why I struggled since shock and pain made my brain hazy, but I'd broken my arm _and_ a leg. I likely had at least cracked some ribs, and if I didn't have internal bleeding… well, if I didn't, it was because I was a _vessel_ , and not quite human.

I maneuvered my unbroken arm under me, and I slowly, shakily, pushed myself to a sitting position, slipping in little pools of my own blood. I nearly gagged when I saw my leg, with bone jutting out in random spots; I decided against looking at my arm. Instead, I focused everything on breathing. It hurt, each breath like a dagger through my chest.

But raspy gasps reminded me that I hadn't been the only one who had fallen through the window, and I turned to see my father was also desperately trying to right himself. It looked like his arms were intact, but both of his legs had broken, and he slowly tried to drag himself towards something. It took me an instance to realize it was his tome, but not the Elfire tome he'd used before. It was the tome I most associated with him, the tome of the Hierophant. 'Grima's Truth', a dark magic tome crafted in the image of the legendary 'Book of Naga' and the infamous 'Loptyr' tome, from the Jugdrali tales. It was a tome said to channel the power of the Fell Dragon, and I could believe it. After all, my father was a _failed_ vessel, but even that gave some benefits.

He reached out towards it, gasping and wincing. But the tome was closer to me, and so, even with his 'head start', I still reached it first. I snatched it from him and opened it up on my unwounded leg, vision graying as I stared at his wide-eyed, pain filled face. Then, I laughed. I laughed and laughed, and it was near hysterical, thin and wheezy. But it was a laugh, and it made his eyes widened even further.

"Well, this is fitting," I hissed, snarling at him. I ran my fingers over the pages, feeling them spark into life. This was probably a spell I could cast even without a tome, but it was still nice to have a catalyst. "Finally, I get to kill you."

"Kestrel… fledgling…" he rasped. He tried to push himself back. He tried to push himself up. But his arms shook too much. He could only lie there, and plead for his life. "Wait! This is… it has been written, and you must…!"

"I. Don't. Care." The magic flared into life, and whipped around me. In the dark shadows, I saw gleaming red eyes and heard an echoing chuckle rumble deep in my spirit. Grima. But I had resisted him as a child. I could resist him now. "I don't know what god listens to a Grimleal's prayers, but you might want to pick one." I held my hand out in front of me, and focused the spell. "They might grant you mercy, because I _sure as hell won't_!"

I launched the spell, and his screams of pain echoed throughout the courtyard. I held the magic on him, watched it tear into his body, until the screams ended. Then, hesitantly, I let the spell go and tossed the book to the side. It 'clanged' against something, and I turned to see my sword was actually near. A damn miracle it hadn't impaled me.

I scooted over to it and picked it up with my unbroken hand, smiling bitterly. I had hoped that I could kill him by the blade, a skill I had learned away from him, but I supposed that I had to take what I was given. Killing him with his own tome had a certain bit of… poetic justice, I supposed.

I stiffened, though, as I heard another low chuckle. I looked around wildly, completely numb to the pain and certainly on the edge of fainting. I found no source, and I focused on my father. His body was bloody, but perhaps… perhaps…

I slid forward and swung, stabbing his body. I thought I heard the laughter just… increase, and I kept on stabbing. Again, and again, and again. No resistance. Blood flying. No signs of life or breath, and yet, I swore I kept hearing laughter. So, I kept stabbing, desperately trying to stop the laughter, terrified that my father was still somehow alive, somehow haunting me, somehow still managing to make my life miserable.

Then something snagged my arm, and I nearly screamed. But then I heard, "Kestrel, it's me." Chrom's voice, calm and soothing. "It's just me. He's dead."

"C-chrom?" I whispered, my voice cracking. I blinked slowly up at him, not quite processing. "I'm hallucinating."

"That's the pain," he replied. He pried the sword out of my hand and picked me up by the waist, setting me gently on the edge of some sort of garden box. Away from the body. I could see only him as he peered at me worriedly. "There's a lot of-"

"Emmeryn." I thought of her scream. 'How is she?"

"She's just fine."

"Robin?"

"Just fine."

"You?"

"Just fine, as you can see."

"Lissa?"

"Just fine."

"Fred-"

"Kestrel." He gave me a fondly exasperated look. "Everyone is just fine. We're getting a count on the injured, and dead, but all the Shepherds are alive. Providing that we get you to a healer quickly." He glanced down at the ground, and I saw all the blood splattered against the stone. "You're badly injured."

"Yeah, I suppose…" My voice cracked, and I found myself crying. "I… I was scared… I was so scared…"

"...Yeah, I can imagine." He hesitated before leaning forward and wrapping a careful arm around me. "I was scared too. I was coming to tell Emm about Panne and Gaius, and I got there and… and… all I could do was watch as you fell, and you just… and _you_ were the one who went through it."

"No, this is pathetic." I weakly batted at his shoulder with my unbroken hand. It was so hard to move. Everything felt so heavy. "This is your fault."

"That you went through the window?"

"That I was _scared_!" My voice cracked again, and some part of me thought I was being completely unreasonable. "I didn't used to be scared of dying! I didn't used to care! Now I do! It's your damn fault!"

"...Well, I'd apologize, but I rather like you being alive, so…" He pulled away slightly and smiled at me sheepishly. "I can't say I'm unhappy about you being scared of dying."

"It's your fault." I felt like a child, lashing about. "And why are you being so damn kind?"

"This argument again?"

"I just mutilated a corpse!"

"Well… yes…" He did look a bit uncomfortable and, conversely, that actually soothed me. He wasn't blindly giving kindness. He was choosing. "But Emmeryn mentioned he knew you? You knew him? It was a bit hard to understand. She mostly just pleaded that I go after you. Maribelle wasn't far behind me, she was yelling at me about Gaius for some reason, so I'm sure she'll be here soon." His hand ghosted over a couple of my bleeding gashes, and I shivered, despite how warm those spots actually felt. "Regardless, if you knew him, and he's Plegian… well, I can take a guess. Someone related to your father?"

"...That _is_ my father." I leaned into his shoulder, still crying, and now, too tired to care. "I killed him. And then mutilated the corpse."

"Well, I think that can be forgiven, given what bits you've told me." He said the words lightly, so lightly that I knew, _knew_ , this was him making a choice. This was him, choosing to believe in me, trust in me. I thought it horribly naive, but it was so _him_ , that I couldn't help but smile anyway. "I mean; I've cracked my father's tombstone in anger."

"How the hell did you manage that?"

"Falchion." His hand came up and gently threaded through my hair. "Just hang on a bit longer, Kestrel. I can see Maribelle. She'll heal you."

"I'm not so easy to kill." I laughed bitterly. "If only…"

"I'm glad. I rather like you." There was an awkward pause at the end of that, and it made the sentence heavier than it should. "Don't pass out. Just stay right here."

"I'm clearly not going anywhere. I have a broken leg." I did close my eyes, though. It made the world spin a little less, and I could focus on his hand through my hair. It was nice. "Stop fretting. I'm alive, and that bastard is dead. Emmeryn is safe."

"For now."

"Well, yeah, it's a war, and there's _clearly_ a traitor." I could think of no other reason for why they managed to get so deep into the castle so quickly. "I'm tired."

"Stay awake a little longer, please. They're almost here."

"Fine." I sighed heavily, and winced as the pain flooded me again. Pain meant I was still alive. I couldn't decide if I liked that or not. "Meanie."

"The kindest meanie?"

"Yeah, sure." I lifted myself up as I finally heard footsteps, and managed a smile for Maribelle as she raced up and began fussing over me. I managed to stay conscious long enough for them to set my bones, but that's when the pain took me and I blacked out.

And as I fainted, I swore I saw red eyes in the darkness, and thought that maybe, my nightmare wasn't over quite yet.

* * *

When I woke, I went to work, getting away with it because no healers happened to be around at the time. My bones creaked and popped with each movement, and my muscles were stiff, a lingering effect of healing broken bones. I could breath, though, and I could move. That was enough to move the wounded into the infirmary, and to move the dead out of the way.

Marth disappeared in all the chaos. Chrom apparently hired a thief named Gaius for a ridiculous price. Then there was the mysterious Panne, who I knew less than nothing about, but who also helped move the dead. Of course, she more flung them to the side, but she still took the heavier ones. I glowered at those who tried to complain. Not all cultured places any importance on a corpse. There were some regions where the body was considered only an empty husk. Besides, she treated the dead children gently. I thought that counted a lot more than an adult in heavy armor.

At some point during all of this, Panne went to go talk to Emmeryn. I'd ended up following, to make sure that no one tried to yell at her. To my surprise, Robin was with Emmeryn when we arrived. He looked as surprised to see me.

"Chrom, Lissa, and Maribelle were just panicking because you weren't in the infirmary," Robin scold, giving me a stern look. I gave him an exasperated one in response. "You nearly died."

"But I'm not dead or dying now, and there are others who are," I replied dryly. I moved my arm, wincing as it creaked, popped, and twinged. "Just some minor pain. It's nothing I can't handle."

"But-"

"I'll get checked again once things calm down, but right now, that bed is needed for someone with their guts spilling out." The assassins had cut through everyone mercilessly. When I'd left, a healer was trying to save a child's eye, the son of one of the servants. He'd been stabbed for being 'in the way' of their path to the barracks, and Lissa. "Gods, this is a mess. The city is in an uproar."

"Yes, I sent Frederick and Phila to help calm them," Emmeryn murmured. She smiled tiredly at us, and I knew she'd been in the infirmary too. I could tell by the blood staining her clothes, and the little patches on her hands she hadn't quite managed to rinse off. "But we are far off topic." She turned her smile towards Panne, who watched us all warily. "Brave taguel, I wished to thank you."

"You know our true name?" Panne replied. She looked… tiredly surprised. I was more startled that there was a taguel even _alive_ , but it certain explained her different garb. I wondered if the 'pale streak' through her braids were actually her ears. "Huh. I didn't expect that."

"Taguel?" Robin repeated. He tilted his head curiously, his eyes lighting up at the thought of learning something. "What's a taguel?"

" _I_ am a taguel. We are… were… shapeshifters. Your kind called us 'beast' or 'coney' in the midst of their hunt." She snarled. "I only helped because my warren owed a debt. Do not think us friends, you and I!"

Robin frowned. "I don't understand."

"Yes, there is precious little that your kind understands." Panne snarled again. "So very little."

"While I'm certain your words are truth, I beg you to not judge my friends by my words." Robin, however, kept perfectly calm. "I suffer from amnesia, and thus, I am relearning the world. I've not yet learned anything about the taguel, and I apologize for that." Robin looked to me. "So, sister? Do you know what she's talking about?"

"There's really not much to understand in this circumstance," I replied, crossing my arms. My muscles protested the movement, and I had a feeling I'd be in a _lot_ more pain later. But for now, I was fine. "Basically, two generations ago, roughly, humans decided to have themselves a taguel hunt. Something about their eyes, blood, hearts, or whatever having special magical properties. But really, it was because they were 'different' and 'terrifying'. So, they were massacred." I ignored Emmeryn's gasp of horror, except for a brief exasperation of how sheltered Ylisseans could be. One history book I'd read hinted her grandfather had encouraged the behavior, quietly. "From what I was told, the 'hunts' were justified by the taguel being 'sub-human', little better than beasts. People are much quicker to kill those they think are lesser or, at least, 'not them'." I shrugged. "Unless you were wondering about the debt she was talking about, Robin. My guess is it has something to do with the First Exalt."

"Yes, that is correct," Panne confirmed. She gave me a curious look. "You know more than most man-spawn."

"I travel. You hear a lot of stories of taguel in Plegia, since they sympathize with someone trying to slaughter you just for existing." I smiled slightly at her scoff. "You may think it mad, and I do not blame you. But there are many 'sole survivors' of villages in Plegia."

"Perhaps." She nodded reluctantly. "It is the nature of man-spawn to destroy all they touch, even each other. A base desire to bring ruin to everything." She snarled once more, and I tried not to flinch. I, after all, was 'fated' to bring an end to everything, alongside Robin. "You're all the same."

"There is… truth in your words, perhaps," Emmeryn murmured. She looked ready to cry. "The words may come too late, and mean too little, but I am deeply sorry. What little I know of the taguel shows mankind had much to learn from them. I am sorry that we stole your family from you, and made the world a lesser place."

"You claim to be blameless, and yet apologize?" Panne scoffed. "Your words are like the wind, but more useless."

"I know." Emmeryn gave her a sad smile. "But I am afraid they are all I have." She and Panne simply stared at each other for a long moment. No words. Only silence.

But then, Panne actually started laughing. "You seem sincere, man-spawn. You look at my pain and see it for what it is. You look at me, and see what I am." She shook her head, as if she thought she was going mad. "I will never trust mankind. But perhaps I can learn to trust you."

"I am honored you would give me the chance." Emmeryn's smile widened. "I shall do my best to earn it."

She and Panne talked more. Robin wandered off, to deal with something, but I watched them interact, smiling slightly. This… just proved my belief. If the people of Plegia could just _hear_ her, they'd see that sincerity too. It was a shame that it would likely never happen.

* * *

I'd been right. At some point after everything had calmed, my leg and arm began reminding me that they'd been _broken_ , and did not appreciate being overworked so soon after being mended. I'd tried to just go to sleep anyway, but it had been too much, so I'd gotten up and tried to hobble over to the infirmary. Then I'd promptly gotten lost. Again.

"...What are you doing up?" Then, of course, I'd run straight into a very tired looking Frederick. "It's late," he scolded. "You should be asleep. Everyone's on edge given the attack."

"I was just trying to get pain medication so that I _could_ sleep," I replied with a sigh. I winced as my leg protested again. It really didn't like me right now. "And I got lost. This castle is too big." The Shepherds were staying the castle again tonight, just in case there was a second attack.

"...The infirmary is still full, but I keep some in my room. It isn't far from here."

"Of course you keep pain things in your room. You clear pebbles from the path."

"Pebbles can be quite dangerous." He smiled slightly, and moved to help me hobble. "I thought you were healed?"

"Yeah, but I should've rested a bit more as my bones and muscles adapted to being whole again." I sighed heavily. "Which I didn't. There was work, and this won't kill me. There were others in the infirmary who couldn't say the same."

"It's sad how true that is." He fell quiet then, still helping me limp, but thankfully, he was right. His room really wasn't far from where we'd been.

He'd led me inside and had me sit at a small stable in the room while he hunted for the medicine. I noticed with a little smile that he'd kept the door open, like a 'proper' gentleman, before I looked around the room. The first thing I noticed was that it was warmer than Emmeryn's. There were little pictures dotting the walls and nightstand, some flowers. Books scattered across the floor. A couple of half-written letters on a desk. Half-cleaned armor in the corner, next to some weapons. A patchwork quilt on the bed. Little things, but things that showed that this was 'home' to him. Unlike Emmeryn's. No matter how much she claimed she liked simpler things, I couldn't help but think the castle wasn't 'home' to her anymore, and that it hadn't been since she became Exalt.

"Here." Frederick set down a little vial, and some water next to it. "It tastes horrible, but it's very effective," he explained. I gave him a dubious look and he smiled slightly. "Is that out of disbelief of my words, or that I'm saying them in the first place?"

"The latter. I've had cheap ale in the slums," I retorted. I shuddered as I remembered. "You want horrible taste? Go with that." I took the vial and tossed it back like a shot. I made a face at how bitter it was, and downed the water after it. "Though, I have to admit. That was damn close."

"Then I think I'll avoid your recommendation." Frederick laughed a bit, leaning against the wall next to me. "Sit and wait for a bit. Sometimes, it requires a second dose, and sometimes, it'll make you very dizzy."

"Like most pain medications. I've had a few, when employers were nice." I sighed, and leaned back in the chair. "How's the city?"

"Finally calm. Phila and I just got back. Exalt Emmeryn will likely address the people in the morning."

"And then we figure out what the hell we do from there." I looked up at him. "I mentioned this to Chrom, but there's a traitor. Maybe more than one. That man got in through the secret passage, and it would be a _lot_ of luck if he happened to just find it."

"Yes, and it will be difficult to research who." He sighed heavily. "While only very few were ever told, we have to take into account of some of those being… less than discreet, made lax by the peace."

"Or wanting money. Or protection."

"Yes. You and Robin need to not go anywhere alone. You two are strangers, and very close to the royals."

"I suppose." I paused and then gave him a confused look. "Wait, hold on. Isn't this where you're supposed to question and be wary?"

"Oh, I _am_ wary. I'm Frederick the Wary, after all." He smiled a little at the joke, and I snickered, unable to help it. "And you, Kestrel, keep a _lot_ of secrets. It's hard to not be suspicious that those secrets might be involved. However, I can also admit that the involvement is unintended." He shrugged. "It would be a stupid time to turn coat, and you strike me as someone who prefers pragmatism and expediency. If you wanted Exalt Emmeryn or Prince Chrom dead, you could've done so without all this fuss. You could've even done so and come up with a lie, as you're often alone with them."

"...I'm trying to figure out if you're complimenting me or not, and coming up blank."

"Well, I'm not sure if it's a compliment or not either." His smile grew and I outright laughed. "So, I'm afraid I cannot answer that."

"Damn." I made a face before thinking of something. "Oh, so, I have a question."

"About?"

"An… emotional thing." I shrugged. "You seem to be the most emotionally stable person I know."

"Naga help you."

"Pick another god. They might be more inclined to help. But for now, you." I sulked. "Do you mind?"

"I don't mind, but…" He paused, thinking. "You have no idea about emotions?"

"Well, I know anger and hatred." My voice was _very_ dry. "But no, otherwise, I'm emotionally stupid. Underdeveloped."

"You kept quiet?" He frowned, looking incredibly confused. "You didn't ask?"

"I had no one _to_ ask!" I glowered at him. "It's spread by now who that man was, right? The leader of the assassins here? _That_ was my abusive father. That's who we've… I've... been running from. Look at the damage to here, and know that he sent even more sadistic people to come after us." I started shaking as I remembered the first time. The first time we were attacked after Mom had died. Before, we'd just thought Mom had been fighting 'bad people', like a hero. We didn't realize until much, _much_ later that she'd simply been protecting us. "They'd slaughtered our friends, our neighbors, just to find us. They were killed just for not being us. They hadn't even been protecting us! They hadn't been asked They were just _in the way_!" And it was the same at the next place. And the next. And the next. Finally, Robin and I had withdrawn from everyone. The closest we got was acquaintance, comrade. Employer and employee. Never stayed with anyone long, never stayed anywhere long. "So, no, I didn't ask. It's just been Robin and me until we got here with all you crazy people!" My voice echoed back, and I realized I was actually shouting. "I…"

"Clearly had a nerve struck." Frederick, however, was still perfectly calm. "Very well. I shall do what I can to help you put a name to what is bothering you."

"Thank you." I squirmed a bit, embarrassed, and then looked down, speaking more to the floor. "Okay, so it deals with Chrom." I jerked my head up when I heard a coughing sound, and I realized he was coughing. "What?"

"Nothing, nothing." He waved my concern away. "I just already have an idea. But continue. I could be wrong."

"I… okay?" I gave him a confused look before shrugging. "So, Chrom. I often feel a bit… odd? Well, not often. Just sometimes. When we spar, it's all fine, and when we're in serious things, it's fine. But when it's not? And it's just the two of us? I feel weird? Like… awkward, yet not?" I struggled to try and explain it. "Like I'm out of place, yet I only feel that way because I'm so _in_ place, and I don't know that feeling? Then, well, we got talking about marriages because… well, because. It made sense, I promise. But he started talking about it, and I felt awkward, and I burst into tears, and it's all just bizarre and I can't word it properly and-"

"You're in love." He said the words so simply that I could only stare in shock at him. "You're in love with Prince Chrom." He gave me a sympathetic look. "I've been suspecting it. A few have, actually. Virion and I had a conversation about it, alongside why he bears a dagger with the crest of an Ylissean noble house."

"I… that…" My eyes widened. I was… in love with him? I was in love with Chrom? That seemed so… so ridiculous. It was only in the stories that people fell in love quickly. I'd known Chrom for a handful of weeks, even if all the events did make it seem longer. "That…" But, at the same time, there was some part of me, a growing part, that thought he was right. If only because he had given me an answer so quickly. "I…"

"Love is a very painful, and sorrowful thing." His voice was soft, and I knew he was thinking about… what he had with Emmeryn. That distant, yet intimate, thing that could never become anything else because of their roles, and duties. "Especially when you love someone so bound by duty."

"That's…" My voice cracked, and I realized I was crying. "Oh, gods, I'm an idiot." I covered my face, doing my best to just keep quiet. "I'm a complete idiot."

"Love makes fools of everyone." Frederick came over and sat next to me, resting a reassuring hand on my back. "You simply have to… make do."

"I wish I'd never met him." Yet, at the same time, I was happy. Because of all the kindness. Because of being able to see Robin so happy. Because of the… the _friends_ … "Things would be easier."

"Well, while I doubt you'd hurt, I'm not so certain going through life completely numb is 'easier'." He rubbed my back soothingly. "Go ahead and cry. Love hurts."

"It really freaking does." My voice cracked again, and I thought of the odd looks I'd gotten from Sumia. She'd… she'd figured it out. Long before I had. That was why she'd sometimes act strangely. I was her 'rival', sort of. "Oh, gods, Sumia… I need to apologize..."

"I think…" Frederick trailed off, and he hummed a little. "Well, perhaps…" He stood suddenly, and walked away. I brought my knees to my chest and continued to cry, not knowing how else to begin processing this.

Small, almost stumbling footsteps caught my ear, and I glanced up. Then I jerked back, because Sumia was right there, smiling sadly at me. Frederick was in the doorway, and I put the pieces together from there; he'd gone to get her.

"...I understand," she whispered. She sat next to me, and hugged me tightly. "I understand too. It really sucks, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," I mumbled. I returned her hug when I noticed she was crying too. "We're both have really bad taste in men."

"Seems so." She laughed a bit, and I did too, and we both continued hugging each other and crying. Frederick let us cry ourselves out while he made tea for us both, and brought us damp clothes to wash our faces with.

The next few days were going to be _incredibly_ awkward. But, I had a name for why, and I… I wasn't alone in it. There was some small comfort in that.

* * *

 _Notes on Sumia:_

 _Class - Pegasus Knight, Reclass - Knight, Cleric_

 _The daughter of a Viscount who is good with animals. Also does 'flower fortunes' for reasons unknown, but they seem to reassure her._

 _She had previously trained as a cleric, but reading the descriptions of a war-time infirmary made her realize she did not have the right mentality for it. She then received some training as a knight, but she took lessons with Phila to ride a pegasus._

 _Clumsy on the ground, but incredibly skilled and graceful in the air, perhaps because she has full confidence in her pegasus, and none in herself. Always, though, she is a sweet girl who simply wishes to be useful to the Shepherds. And Chrom. She has a rather obvious crush on him._

* * *

Author's notes: Technically, there is one more scene at the end of this chapter, but I moved it instead to the interlude. There is no mention of when Panne's warren was wiped out, and even her support conversations have a few contradictions on when it even could be. I'm choosing for it to be during the time of Emm and Chrom's grandfather, and that mentality helped influence their father's mentality for dealing with the Plegians. Virion's dagger showed up in a previous chapter and comes from his C support with Frederick.

Grima's Truth is Validar's personal tome in game. However, Henry's 'double duel' thing proves that _anyone_ capable of wielding dark magic (and having the skill, of course) can use the tome. It's animation strongly resembles the animation of the Book of Naga in Awakening.

Emmeryn is playable through spotpass, and through that, you see that she starts off with Mage class skills despite having no access to the mage class. I'm choosing that she was originally a mage, but gave up the 'class' to become a cleric, focused more on healing. As a result, she retains the skills, but no longer has access to the 'class'.

Next Chapter - Interlude, Traitor


	12. Interlude - Traitor

Interlude - Traitor

* * *

 _There was an assassination attempt, and it almost worked. Thankfully, it didn't. Bonus points, I got to kill my father. Negative points, I found out I'm in love with Chrom._

 _Why do things always go from bad to worse with me?_

* * *

Chrom and Emmeryn spent most of the next day arguing about what to do. The knowledge that there was a _traitor_ in their own castle made everything uncomfortable. Chrom refused to leave Emmeryn alone; Emmeryn refused to leave, period. Frederick came up with a compromise by having Emmeryn go to the eastern palace or something, very quietly. Only a handful of people know, people Emmeryn trusts above all else. That one of those people could be the very traitor who nearly got her killed weighs heavily on all of us, especially the Shepherds as we pack and prepare not only to escort Emmeryn, but to return to Ferox for the army they promised.

With so much riding on us, it wasn't surprisingly that many cracked and panicked under the pressure. Robin and I had to sort out at least six arguments, over meaningless things, and Chrom had to deal with even more. I'd ducked out while Lissa and Vaike yelled over a pie slice of all things to go check on Sumia. I'd found her in her family's townhouse in the city, escorted by chortling servants, and it quickly became apparent just why they were laughing. Sumia was acting out scenes from a story.

"Back, angry fiend!" she called, twirling her lance about with a flourish. "I shan't let you near the princess!" She jumped to the other side and scoffed. "As if a puny villager like you can stop me!"

"What about confused friends?" I asked dryly. She squeaked and whirled, hiding her lance behind her back. "What is that even from? Please tell me another of the Ribald Series."

"The ones dealing with Magvel…" Sumia flushed from embarrassment, though she smiled shyly. "I was trying to emulate Dame Emma."

"Isn't she the one who-?"

"Ah!" She flailed, shaking her head. "Don't tell me! I haven't finished yet!" She paused. "Wait, this is a new book. It came out yesterday, while you were busy in the castle. I bought you a copy, but didn't get a chance to give it to you."

"Did you forget that the Magvellian tales are, literally, well know and these Ribald tales are merely the latest adaptation?" I grinned as her expression blanked. "Okay, you've been inside too long. Time for sunshine."

"I… sure!" She smiled brightly, and carefully left her lance leaning against the wall. "Let's head to the market. I need to get a few things for the trip."

"That sounds good." I headed back down the hallway, and she easily fell in step next to me. "So, were you here with your parents?"

"No, they're on the estate. I more came here to get out of the way, since everything is so hectic." She shrugged. "There's not much I can do to help. I _do_ help Frederick with the horses, but I did that this morning, and it'll be a bit before their evening check." She waved to the servants as we passed, and gave the guards at the front gates a bright grin. "Sorry, habit."

"I think it's a good habit. They certainly looked happy." It was hard to be sad around a smiling Sumia. "How are they doing?"

"They're worried about the threat, last I heard, but they're going to do what they can to protect our people." She easily led the way to the market, and we were greeted by a surprisingly cheerful crush of people. Emmeryn's speech earlier must've lifted their spirits, since yesterday, the _dead_ were more lively than them. "Yay! Look at everything!"

"I'm looking." I smiled slightly, and tried to not twitch. I still remembered the eerie laughter and the red eyes. I wondered if the source was here. But, if it was, they were hiding very well. I'd seen or heard nothing. "What are you looking to buy?"

"Oh, I know where it is." She stepped close to me as we entered the market proper. "But, more importantly, _I_ have a question for you."

"Oh?"

"Yep!" She waved to some passing people before turning her attention back to me. "You've been avoiding Captain Chrom a lot." She peered at my face, and I tried to wince. Of course she'd noticed. Chrom hadn't, thankfully, but... "Why?"

"I…" I sighed, drooping. It was awkward. I didn't like it, but I also found myself squirming when I _was_ near, even if he didn't see me. "I'm trying to get my head in order. Once I convince my heart that it's impossible, then-"

"Why should it be impossible?" Sumia gave me a very serious look. "You shouldn't give up before even trying. My best friend, Cordelia, did that. She said it was impossible for Captain Chrom to return her feelings, and so, she gave up without trying. I tried to convince her otherwise, but…" She sighed. "She refuses to believe me."

"...Sumia, forgive me, but why would you be encouraging me? Me giving up would make it easier for you to get with Chrom."

"Well, it's a number of reasons." She casually, shyly, hooked her arm around mine. "For one, you are a _dear_ friend and I want you to be happy. I want Captain Chrom to be happy too. So, you know, if both are you are happy together, I'll be a bit sad, because love sucks, but I'd also be really, _really_ happy!" She giggled. "But her eyes became serious. "And, well… I don't want to be someone's second choice, you know? I mean; I'm clumsy, I'm shy, I tend to be use-whoa!" She managed to trip over her own feet, but I shifted to keep her up. "Thanks!"

"That is life telling you that you're not 'useless', by the way." I smiled at her, and she smiled back shyly. "But I get it, I think. You don't want to deal with 'what ifs', like 'what if' Cordelia hadn't given up or 'what if' I didn't give up."

"Exactly!" She beamed. "So, I want you to promise to go for it!"

"You…" I started laughing, unable to help it. "Well, if I had any idea how to 'go for it', I would? You think I know anything about flirting? I needed help figuring out I was in love with him!"

"Mmm, point, and I'm pretty poor at it myself." She giggled. "Well, how about you promise to stop avoiding him? I think he's been busy enough to not notice, but…" She shrugged, still smiling. "If nothing else, he's still a friend, right?"

"...Right." I continued laughing, leaning into her a bit. "Well, for now, you and I are in the market, and _I_ think I spy a book of poems over there."

"You love poetry, don't you?" She laughed. "Well, that book you lent me was super sweet! I loved most of them!"

"It's a good book." I grinned. "The best part is that they're small, so they easily fit into packs. I can bring a whole bunch on the way to Ferox."

"That's clever!" She grinned back. "Come on! Let's buy some, then!"

* * *

After Sumia and I went shopping, eventually actually getting the extra pads she needed to pack, Sumia returned to her estate to finish her packing and I returned to the castle to make sure no one had killed each other yet. Thankfully, no one had, and so, I ended up following Robin to Emmeryn's study, curled up in the corner while she and Robin set up to play chess.

"I'm surprised by the sudden invitation," Robin noted, setting up his pieces. He was 'black', while Emmeryn took 'white'. I almost laughed at how unintentionally fitting that was. "Do you worry about my tactical skill?"

"Of course not, Robin," Emmeryn replied. She already had her pieces set up, and she waited with a pleasant smile. "I simply have a brief break and wished to play a few games. You were the only one free."

"Well, I feel loved." Robin grinned and settled into his chair. "You're first."

"So I am." Emmeryn looked over the board briefly before moving a pawn. "I do have a question for you, though."

"Oh?" Robin's hands hovered over his pieces, his eyes sharp as he began devising strategies. "What is it?"

"If you had to choose…" Emmeryn's voice was very soft, but there was something heavy in it. Robin's hand left the pieces as he waited for her to continue. I glanced up from my book of poems, curious. "What would you choose between your queen and your pawn?"

"That's a strange question." Robin sat back in his chair and closed his eyes to think. "I'm assuming this is a situation where I cannot capture the one who threatens them, nor can I threaten the king with a check or checkmate?"

"Yes."

"Damn." He sighed, and opened his eyes. "Well, ultimately, I think I'd pick the pawn."

"Why?"

"Well, no matter how powerful the queen piece is, the queen is a replaceable piece." Robin looked up at the ceiling. "When a pawn reaches the end of the board, they can promote and become any other piece, including a queen."

"That's right. Only the king isn't replaceable." Emmeryn paused, gave me a brief and unreadable look, before looking right at Robin. "Who would you call your 'king', Robin?"

"Are you asking me who isn't replaceable? Because that's everyone."

"No, no. I ask, if you had to assign pieces to people you know, who would you call your 'king'?"

"That's…" Robin frowned, and I set my book down as it was _quickly_ becoming clear that Emmeryn was having a different conversation than we'd originally thought. "I suppose Chrom. He's our leader, after all, and if he fell, I'm not sure the Shepherds would hold together. Whatever he thinks of himself, the Shepherds all joined for him."

"That's right. Chrom would be my king as well." She smiled sweetly. "What piece would you assign to me?"

"You? Probably the queen… piece…" Robin trailed off, eyes wide, and my jaw drop as we both figured out what Emmeryn was implying. "Emmeryn… you…"

"I would call myself the 'queen' as well." She still smiled so sweetly, but the words she implied were chilling. 'I can be replaced.' "Rest assured, however. I am not inclined to sacrifice any piece, much less my queen."

"...Who do you think could replace such a marvelous queen, though?"

"Oh, Robin, you flatter me!" She laughed, perfectly cheerful, while I reeled from how easily she suggested she was replaceable. "I already have an idea of who might 'replace' such a queen, though. A wondrous one, far better, though she knows not her worth. But others do, and its draws them, perhaps even the 'king' himself?" She chuckled. "Well, we'll see about that."

"...I fear you play a game far greater than mine, and with far more pragmatism." Robin looked back at the board. "Chrom would kill for you. He has already. He'll become death incarnate to keep you safe."

"But he would hate himself, forever, because if there is one thing he hates, it is becoming like our father." Emmeryn's smile finally faltered. "I am a poor sister. I leave my siblings to the wayside in the name of duty. I am rarely there for them. I'm always too busy to help them. And I am a _worse_ sister to Chrom, because I see the traces of our father in him and become afraid. Yet, he loves me. He loves me so dearly, and that is a miracle I will forever thank the gods for, because though I never show it enough, I love him so very much." She clasped her hands in her lap. "So, above all else, I want… to protect his spirit. His heart. I'd rather him receive a lesser wound than to see him twist himself into becoming something he hates, into some _one_ he loathes."

"You seem… very certain on that."

"He didn't even touch the Falchion for years. He only took up fighting because I refused to, and I saw his heart break as he went through the formal ceremony to receive Falchion. I do not want to see him do that again." She shook her head. "I do not want to see him break himself for my sake again."

"Well, I imagine you won't see much of anything if you die." Robin's voice was cross as he scowled. "Which-"

"Robin, shut up," I retorted. The response was sudden enough that he did listen, and I turned to Emmeryn, who watched me closely. "You're not saying anything she hasn't already suffered through."

"But, it's just…" Robin began. He visibly groped for words, frustrated that he couldn't think of a reply. Emmeryn simply watched. "Just-"

"Robin, if there was a choice between dying yourself, or something killing me, what would you pick?"

"Well, I'd pick you, of course…" Robin paused, and I could see the pieces click together. "Oh."

"Precisely. I'd make the same sort of decision if our roles were reversed. That's what Emmeryn is talking about. I imagine she went with the chess metaphors in the hope that it would get through your thick skull faster."

"I'm sorry I'm an amnesiac and am still relearning metaphors." Robin scowled and I laughed, picking up my book again. "Fine, fine. Emmeryn, just promise you really won't do so needlessly. If it's a stupid sacrifice, I swear I'll bring you back to spite you."

"Of course," Emmeryn replied. Her smiled was gentle and warm. "Thank you."

"Chrom is going to kill me," Robin groaned. He leaned back in his chair. "Super kill me."

"No, he won't. He adores you. Besides, it's not as if I would leave such a choice in your hands." Her smile sweetened, even as Robin gave her an incredulous look. "So, the game?"

"Ah, right, yes?" Robin moved his piece at last, and Emmeryn moved hers, and the two settled into playing chess against each other. I watched them for a bit, noting with a smile that both of them played things cautiously, not willing to sacrifice a single piece.

Emmeryn won only once out of the seven matches they played, the one where she'd sacrificed her queen. I could only hope we wouldn't have to make the same decision.

* * *

"Thanks for insisting on sparring, Kestrel." Chrom sprawled out on the grass briefly, sighing happily. "It was just what I needed," he said, smiling up at me. "Thanks."

"I thought so," I replied, trying to hide both my silly smile and my blush. At Sumia's encouragement, I'd dragged Chrom out for our nightly spars. With Frederick's permission, we'd even left the palace, to a grassy hill with a giant tree, its leaves fading orange and brown as we quickly approached winter. Gangrel either had high hopes for his campaign, or no sense of how poor winter fighting could be due to living in Plegia. We'd likely trade initial blows, and then have to hole up for the winter. "Besides, it's not like the sparring didn't do me some good as well." A little bit of sparring, and I felt… well, I still felt shy and awkward, like I was too big for my limbs or something, but it was less. I could stay around without feeling the need to flee. "You've been running around all day."

"I have to oversee everything myself." He groaned as he pushed himself up. "We don't know who betrayed us. I have to double check everything for sabotage."

"Have you noticed anything?"

"Yeah, there's been about three, but all so damn subtle that they could've easily been honest mistakes." He rested a fist on his knee, glaring at the horizon. "It's been a long time since we've had to make preparations like this, and this is sudden. People make mistakes when panicked."

"Is there one person in charge of all three?"

"No, and all three involved things that everyone had access to." He sighed, trying to relax. But his shoulders remained stiff. "I need to thank Panne again. She's the one who caught there was a problem with one of the horses."

"How is she getting along with everyone? And… Gaius, was it? I've not seen much of either."

"Gaius has been helping me try to track down the traitor, and to try and muddle our own tracks. Panne keeps her distance, but there's been no arguments, yet." Chrom tensed again. "Of course, all the work will be meaningless if I trust the wrong person."

"Are you afraid?"

"A little." He smiled ruefully. "Not Emm, though. She gives her trust freely still, even though her life was at risk."

"Well, then of course you worry. The more people you trust with your life, the more easily that life can be stolen." I hesitated and reached out to rest my hand on his fist, still on his knee. "I would, in your place."

"I imagine you _did_ , when you first joined." His smile grew as I simply shrugged. "But it's still amazing that she can hold onto her beliefs even now. I have to protect her, though. Someone needs to."

That reminded me of the earlier conversation with Emmeryn, and I felt the need to bring it up. "Emmeryn thinks she's a poor sister to you. And Lissa, but mostly to you." I leaned forward a little to better look him in the eye. "But you clearly love her. It can't be simply blood ties to do that, and it's not simple admiration."

"She's always too hard on herself." He laughed a little, but it faded pretty quickly. "Well, admittedly, when I was very young, I thought she hated me. She'd just taken over the throne, so things were all chaotic. My sister was no longer 'just' my sister, my father was gone, my mother died soon after, I had a little sister I suddenly had to take care of…" He smiled, though. "One time, though, I was taking a bath-"

"Oh, is that an unusual thing?"

"Hey!" He scowled and I laughed, unable to help it. "I'm being serious."

"Sorry, you just left too wide an opening." I poked his side for emphasis, and he rolled his eyes. "So, bathtime?"

"Yes, I was taking a bath. The thing was, I was incredibly tired from taking care of Lissa. At the time, Frederick wasn't our guard, so it was only the wetnurse, one of many who just left and was replaced since no one stuck around, and me. So, I fell asleep or, more accurately, passed out, and almost drowned." He smiled again. "Emm _bolted_ out of an important council meeting as soon as she heard, and she pushed past every single servant to make sure she could reach me. She actually plucked me out of the suds like a kitten, and she was crying so much as I came too. I almost thought she'd fallen into the water before I'd realized her face was covered in tears." He looked up at the sky, to the stars glittering overhead. "I realized then that my sister hadn't gone away. She just had a little more to do. And I wanted to do what I could to help her. It wasn't fair that she had so much on her shoulders. I wanted to take that burden, as much as I could."

Yet that was what Emmeryn was afraid of, that he'd take so much that he'd break, like her. "Well, remember that _you_ have bunches of helpers too, when they're not busy with the sheep!" I grinned as he laughed. "So, don't you…" My grin faltered as the moonlight washed over his face, revealing something I hadn't noticed before. "Chrom, when did you last sleep?" He looked far more exhausted than normal for our sparring. Paler.

"Last night." He tensed again, and sounded defensive. "I promise."

"For how long?" I waited, but there was no reply. "An hour?"

"...And a half…" He looked away, sounding small. "Well, maybe an hour and fifteen…"

"You look like it." I hesitated, feeling awkward once more, but I reached up to grab his shoulder and then pulled him down so that his head rested in my lap. "Go ahead and sleep a bit."

"Here?" He turned so that he was lying on his back and looking up at me. "But… I mean…"

"I know it's not the most comfortable pillow, but while we're out here, no one will bother us unless it's a _real_ emergency. You can get a bit more sleep."

"It's plenty comfortable." He looked worried, even as he also looked more and more tired. Laying down caused his exhaustion to catch up. "But, I mean…"

"It's a lovely night, and I brought a few books of poems with me." I leaned back to snag one from my pack, which I'd brought at Frederick's insistence. "See? I'll be fine. I'll just read."

"But…"

"Chrom, you need your sleep." I shyly rested a hand on his hair. "I imagine it also wasn't so restful sleeping while there's a traitor."

"...No, it wasn't." He sighed heavily, and the tension left his shoulders. "I spent most of it awake, trying to figure out who it might be, wondering if they'd try to kill one of us directly…"

"Lissa is with Robin and Maribelle. Emmeryn is with Frederick and Phila. They're safe, and I promise to keep an eye on the area while I read." I smiled down at him. "So, Chrom, go ahead and sleep. You need your rest too."

"...All right…" He closed his eyes, and smiled. "Can you read me some of the poems?"

"I can, sure." I laughed a little. "To bore you to sleep?"

"I like poems. I've written a few." His smile widened. "Your voice is really comforting, though, and I'd like… to hear your favorites…"

"..." My face burned with a blush, and I was glad he already had his eyes closed. I had no way to explain away this. "All right. I'll read you my favorites."

And so I did, cycling through the three books I had in my pack. I even talked about _why_ they were my favorites. He listened closely, asking a few questions even, until he nodded off. When I was certain he was asleep, I stopped talking to simply keep reading, strangely content with all of this. I was actually disappointed when Frederick found us, and woke Chrom up so that the two of us could go to sleep in our rooms. It had been so relaxing, and the next days were going to be hell.

I prayed this wouldn't be the last relaxing day we had, for everyone's sake. Maybe the gods would listen if I prayed on another's behalf.

* * *

 _Notes on Kellam:_

 _Class - Knight; Reclass - Thief, Priest_

 _Originally from a poor family, and now a talented member of the Shepherds. When, you know, someone actually notices him. Apparently only gets along with one of his brothers, though, for reasons unknown._

 _The definition of a frontline armored knight, capable of withstanding incredible amounts of abuse. This allows him to shield wounded allies until a healer can reach, an invaluable tactic._

 _The tallest person in the army, and one of the broadest. Combined with the heavy armor, and there is serious cause to wonder if he really is a ghost._

* * *

Author's note - Sumia is shown to act out scenes from her stories in her supports with the Avatar, which is what Kestrel walked into. Emma, here, is an OC, and the POV char, from my FE8 novelization _Records of the Valiant_. Emmeryn's chess metaphors comes from this lovely fanfiction I read, but damn if I can find it (or the title) now. Emmeryn saving Chrom from drowning in the bath comes from their conversation in the Hot Spring Scramble.

Kellam's family, and how he only gets along with one, is mentioned in his supports.

Next Chapter - Incursion


	13. Chapter 7) Incursion

Chapter 7) Incursion

* * *

 _Preparations completed, we make our way towards the Eastern Palace, hidden deep within the mountains. Legends say it used to be the estate of a grand house, during the time of the Hero King, Menidy or… something. Now, though, it was a quiet retreat for the Ylissean royal family, and where Emmeryn would rest while we headed to Ferox._

 _With the traitor still among us, though, I expected countless amounts of trouble. All of us did._

* * *

The Eastern Palace apparently was situated in the mountains. Whoever built the place likely had an eye for strategy, and no patience for people who weren't athletic, since there was only one path to the place by foot. They probably had a lot of archers, since the only way the place could be put under siege is by air. It was easy to see why it remained as a safe haven for the Ylissean royal family, because there was next to _no_ chance of someone disturbing them unless it was an emergency.

The problem was, of course, that one path meant it was easy to set ambushes, and Plegia had access to fliers just as easily as Ylisse did. Though the battles with Grima were said to have rent the very world and permanently warped the lands and seas, Plegia still did hold the lands of ancient Macedon, and thus, the wyvern habitats.

"You're so lost in your thoughts, sister." Robin's chiding voice jolted me out of my thoughts, and he smiled when I looked at him in confusion. "What is it you're thinking about?" he asked me, his eyes genuinely curious. "Perhaps I can help pull a thread?"

"I'm simply thinking history, Robin," I answered, shrugging. He and I walked at an easy pace, not far from Chrom and Lissa. The rest of the walkers trailed behind, while most of the riders were ahead. Only Frederick stayed back, guarding Emmeryn and some old guy in green robes, while Phila did some scouting. "Geography and that sort of thing."

"I see." He paused, thinking a little. "So, Sumia mentioned something recently…"

"Not another word." I sighed, whimpering a little. Sumia had assumed I'd already told Robin about my crush on Chrom, and accidentally blabbed it to him. She'd been horrified, and I'd spent most of last night reassuring her that it was fine, that I _had_ been planning on telling him (I hadn't, but that wasn't something to tell her), and that it was just a little earlier than I planned. "Sumia felt horrible."

"I know that. I… wanted to know if you wanted to talk about it." He smiled slightly. "I'm afraid I don't know… much of anything…"

"You knew as little as I do, so even if you didn't lose your memories, you wouldn't be much help."

"Regardless, I _am_ here if you want someone to talk to, Kestrel." His smile widened. "Besides, I do like the idea. My best friend and my twin sister… Sumia's right. I _should_ encourage this."

"I will hurt you. I swear I will."

"No, you won't. You love me."

"I hurt Chrom on a regular basis thanks to spars, so I don't think that's a proper defense!" I growled as Robin just _laughed_. "Watch it, Robin! I'll tell the army stories from our childhood!"

"That's not fair! I don't remember them!"

"Exactly!"

"You two have so much energy!" Lissa complained. She then whimpered. "Ugh… my poor feet…" She lifted a foot and grimaced as she peeled off her shoe to check the bottom of her feet. "Ugh, I've blisters the size of eggs…"

"Oh, it's not so bad, Lissa," Chrom laughed, ruffling her hair through her silly button hat. "Just a nice, brisk stroll."

"For you, maybe! I'm…" Lissa paused and growled. "Wait, you're trying to make me say I'm delicate!"

"I wasn't trying to do anything." Chrom laughed again, easily dodging Lissa's half-hearted attempts to hit his arm. "How are you holding up, Robin?"

"Bantering with my twin is the only reason I haven't collapsed," Robin instantly replied. Chrom simply laughed harder. "My legs feel like they're made of pudding." He gave Chrom a half-admiring, half-exasperated look. "Your endurance astounds me."

"Should I carry you?" Chrom teased, grin widening. "You're not that heavy, even with all the books."

"What, no! Carry Kestrel instead!"

"I'm not the one dragging his feet," I retorted instantly. I felt my face heat up anyway. I'd get him back for this. "I'm just fine, unlike you. _You've_ been sitting at a desk too much."

"But wouldn't it be all cute and proper?" Robin asked, voice all innocent. His eyes danced too much. "I mean; it'll be like those stories you read."

"It would be nothing like those! No, I'm fine without being carried!"

"Then you can carry _me_ , Chrom!" Lissa said, throwing herself at Chrom. He actually did catch her easily, but set her back down. "Oh, come on!"

"Lissa, it's hard to carry you with the metal hoop, remember?" Chrom pointed out. He laughed as she huffed. "Next time, figure out how to take it off, and _then_ I'll carry you."

"Promise?"

"Promise." He grinned. "But I do think I'll carry Kestrel."

"Wait, what?!" I yelped. I yelped again as Chrom easily picked me up in a classic princess carry. "Gods damn it, put me down!"

"You're really light," he noted, walking forward without even pretending to listen. I could hear Robin and Lissa laughing behind us. "You're like a little bird."

"If that's a play on my name, I'm going to whack you." I groaned, feeling absolute mortified. And worried that Sumia might see… "At least carry me on your _back_ , damn it. This is more of a romance novel thing."

"Like those stories you read, right?"

"Chrom, you know I read poems and _smut_ , right?" I smirked as his face went a bright-bright red. "So, Chrom, will you put me down now?"

"Fine, fine." He sighed and set me down, still red all the way to the tips of his ears. "Wait, you read other things."

"But that's what I chat with Sumia about the most." I grinned as he went even redder, and glanced back, noticing we were a good bit ahead of everyone. "Everyone's surprisingly cheerful, considering everything." My eyes fell again on the old man in green robes, who seemed a little… twitchy. "Chrom, who is that again? I haven't seen him."

"You haven't been around Emm's advisors." He smiled. "That's Hierarch Nero. He's not all that high ranked, despite the title, but he's guided Emm through her early years of being the Exalt, so she asked him to come with us to the palace, so that she could continue to work."

"I see." I narrowed my eyes, just… unnerved by him. He kept fussing, and his smile was too tight. "All right then."

"What is it?"

"I've… just a very bad feeling, and he's the only one in this main little group that I don't know." I shrugged, smiling ruefully as I faced him again. "Maybe I'm paranoid." A strange sound, however, made me look up, and I frowned at two strange shadows, too far to make out anything, especially given the sun. "The hell is-?" Something wet hit my face, despite there not being a cloud in the sky. I slowly reached up to touch it, pulling my hand back to see a small crimson blotch on my fingertip. A few more droplets hit my face, and I wondered what was going on.

A bloody feather floated into view, and that was all the warning I had before a pegasus, wings brutally ripped to shreds, and its rider, hit the ground in front of Chrom and me with a giant _splat_. Both of us stared in horror, not able to quite comprehend what just happened, even though we were literally splattered by the remains.

But a wyvern's victorious shriek above startled us out of the shock pretty damn quickly. It was hard for it not to.

"Damn, how did they know…?" Chrom growled. He drew Falchion, and I drew my own sword. "Wait, those ahead, are they…?" His eyes widened. "Down!" Chrom actually tackled me, both of us barely avoiding the wyvern that had been aiming to attack. It, and its rider, went down to a thunder spell, likely cast by Robin. "Oh, gods…" He shifted off me so that I could sit up, and I paled when I saw what he saw.

Wyvern riders were coming from all sides. We were completely surrounded. And the pegasus knights literally falling from the sky hinted as to why we had _no_ warning.

They attacked without mercy, laughing as they killed. Though more than a few screeched like little kids when Panne transformed and kicked some heads clear off. We managed to coordinate, using that bit of shock, just enough for the cavalry sent ahead to come charging back to regroup.

In the chaos, I tried to focus on reaching Emmeryn, worried that someone would use the confusion to send an assassin directly for her. However, a little bit of green caught my attention, and I paused, noticing that Nero was actually leaving Frederick's protection. I thought it odd, but at first, thought he was running for some cover, panicking at the sudden assault. Then I realized he was running for the Plegians, and all the pieces clicked together instantly. Emmeryn had trusted him, and he'd exploited that trust to sell her out. So, instead, I changed my path and followed _him_. I had to dodge quite a few attackers in order to do so, and I had a feeling I'd get a lecture for 'running ahead'. But I didn't want to lose sight on him. I didn't want him to get… whatever he was promised for being a traitor.

Of course, as I walked up, I simply saw him gasping as a wyvern rider laughed and flew away, saying something about barns and piggies. It seemed like Plegia continued to have a low regard for traitors, even as they enticed Ylisseans to turn their coats. Then again, that made since. It was a tactic Ylisse had used, to infiltrate the castle and assassinate the entire royal family, right down to the last child.

"...So, you're the one," I whispered, noticing that there was no one near, neither friend nor ally. He squeaked and whirled, eyes wide. "They trusted you. They trusted you, so completely, and you turned it against them. You're trying to kill them for it."

"D-don't put words in my mouth, child," he tried to snap. But he kept on fidgeting, too nervous to do anything but fake a bravado even a child could see through. "I… just a mistake. Just a mistake. Just have to talk to the Exalt and-"

"And what? Be forgiven?" I shrugged. "Well, you're right. Emmeryn would probably forgive you. Chrom might, since he tries to walk her path." I smiled slowly, and he began shaking. "But neither of them are here, are they? They're busy, so it's just you and me. And I am not so _forgiving_ towards people like you."

"Please…" He whimpered. He actually whimpered. "Please, spare my-"

"No." I walked towards him, taking my time, watching him flinch with each motion. He tried to back away, but he went right to the edge of the cliffs. "No, I won't. I don't suffer those who hurt my friends, or my family. Emmeryn and Chrom have given me the first home I've had in years, and yet here you are, destroying it."

"Ylisse would fall if-!"

"Ylisse is its people, not the lands. Ylisse is the ideals they live to, not the titles they hold." I stopped right in front of him. "Ylisse falls because of people like you, who cling to pretty ideals during peace, but throws it to the side when your life is threatened. Worse, you didn't even just sell out your own life. You sold out everyone else, too." I gestured to the splattered corpses nearby. "They're dead because of you, you know. They might've died at a different time, who is to say, but they're dead now because of you. Those deaths are on your soul, each one like a red mark that can't ever be redeemed."

"You…" He tried to snarl, but he shook too much. "You're nothing, girl! What do you know about ruling?"

"Who knows? Certainly not you." I snagged him by the collar, lifting him up slightly. It was easy. He was a weakling. "I heard the gods don't take kindly to traitors. I suppose you can find out first hand, though."

I threw him off the cliff, listening to his scream echo as he fell. I peered over the edge to watch, and saw him hit a particularly jagged stone edge hard, enough for blood to splatter, and figured that would be enough to make sure he was dead. If not, the rest of the fall, and the river below, would handle matters.

For now, I had to return. I had my own duties to do, and it would be in poor taste to kill someone for hurting my friends, and not going to defend them myself.

* * *

They set this up well. Wyverns all around, and we had barely enough room to dodge. Cavalry was thrown towards the back, because the horses kept spooking. Stahl's almost threw him off, and only Panne's quiet intervention saved him.

For our part, though, it was desperately trying to not die. Robin defaulted to his usual tactics, meaning that Chrom and I were fighting back to back as usual. This time, though, we struggled to not trip and fall to our deaths, much harder because the path was sticky and slick from all the blood, and corpses clogged it all up.

"Been a bit since I had to deal with so many smells while fighting," I muttered, wincing. Poor Panne actually had to bow out of the fight to recover, since it had become overwhelming. "Damn, they brought a lot."

"How many people are even in Plegia's army?" Chrom groaned. He leaned back slightly, resting on me, before straightening again. "Oh, right, I meant to ask."

"Hmm?"

"You happen to know what happened to Hierarch Nero? Last anyone saw, you were chasing him."

"...He's dead."

"I see…" He glanced at me, and I'm sure he noticed how I wouldn't look at him. "Damn it. Trusted the wrong person, huh?"

"Well, he can't tell them anymore." I leaned into him, hoping to convey some sort of reassurance. "How many dead do we have?"

"Too many to count, but it seems my Shepherds are pulling through just fine, which is good since I think we're the only ones capable of fighting here." Phila had lured most of the wyvern riders into the sky. The wyvern corpses falling down hinted she and her group were doing _very_ nicely. "Damn, this is…"

"I know." I glanced around, and noticed an enemy archer trying to sight something. Curious, I followed their line of sight as best as I could, and noticed something towards our southwest. "So, pegasus knight. Long red hair. Kind of looks familiar?" It was hard to make out features, but I thought I still recognized the messy hair, at least.

"Cordelia, likely." He paused and then groaned. "She was on the border."

"Well, I don't think you have much of a border anymore. Officially, that is. Your border defense kind of sucks."

"We never had enough to guard it." Chrom kicked a lance up into his hand and threw it at the archer, scoring a messy hit to the shoulder. "Damn, I need to practice that."

"Still cool, and still kept him from firing at Cordelia." I frowned, though, as I realized there had been another arrow behind him, and _he_ was sighting someone else. "Damn, who does he have-?"

Time slowed as the arrow flew, and at first, I wasn't quite sure why. Then I heard a too-loud-thud and looked up to see just who, exactly, that archer had targeted: Sumia. The thud had been the arrow landing in her stomach, where she wore no armor at all.

Chrom lunged forward, cutting down the archer before he landed a second arrow, but I thought the damage was already done, since the shock and pain from the arrow, compared with how she'd been mid-turn when hit, meant she was _falling_.

I ran forward, uncaring of anything and everything as I watched her fall. I tripped over corpses, and actually had to climb of a few dead wyverns, because there was no way around. All of that just slowed me down, and I was certain, _certain_ , that I wouldn't make it, that no one would make it, that Sumia would hit the ground hard, and die from the impact.

But there was a bit of movement somewhere in front of me though, some sunlight glinting off armor, and Frederick appeared out of nowhere and managed to catch her and roll, bleeding off some momentum to lessen the damage to them both. However, he also lost his footing, so he was only able to twist to try and shield Sumia as a wyvern rider flew in close, axe already high above his head, face twisted in a victorious smirk.

But I was close enough then. I slid the last few steps and brought my sword up. The axe hit it with a loud _clang_ that echoed through my skull. The wielder's eyes widened, slightly, like he couldn't believe someone had stopped him, and he leaned a little off his wyvern to bear down on me. "They'll be erecting statues of me before long," he laughed, as if this was one big game. "You're only delaying the inevitable."

"...Quod ita sit?" I replied softly. I smirked as his eyes widened. He knew enough to recognize Old Plegian, and he knew enough to know just what sort of person would actually know it well enough to speak it conversationally. "Bene, ut te digna putant paulo specialis mortem, tum quod sic?" I took advantage of his shock to knock him back. His wyvern shuffled restlessly, not quite sure what to do with its rider startled. "Die-"

" _With magnificence!"_ Two arrows streaked over my head and thudded into the wyvern rider's chest. "Adieu!" One more hit the rider straight in the skull, right between the eyes, and he tumbled off, deader than dead.

His wyvern screeched and lunged at me, but I dodged and slit its belly, before twisting and slamming my blade through its skull. Only then did I look up and smile at Virion. "I think I owe you," I told him. I looked around and saw Frederick and Sumia weren't in sight. "How are they?"

"Just fine, though Frederick retreated as soon as possible to get them both medical attention," Virion reassured. "He broke an arm with that maneuver, and poor Sumia has some broken ribs. But they're both alive, and will be fine." He smiled at me, and came around to nudge both the wyvern and the rider, checking to make sure they were dead. "I'm quite curious, dear Kestrel, how you managed to get him to drop his guard?"

"I…" I hesitated, the words clogging my throat. But, maybe because I'd told Emmeryn most of it, some of the words managed to leak through anyway. "My parents… were high ranking in Plegia. So, I learned… Old Plegian. But it's something only the higher ranked would know… so…"

"Ah, so he was startled to find a Plegian noble here, with Ylisse." Virion nodded, clearly just accepting the information, and recognizing that I didn't want to say more. "I imagine that _was_ quite the shock. He seemed young as well."

"Arrogant as all hell. Probably a fresh recruit." I wondered if he'd had family. They'd never see him again. All because of this war, that family lost him. "War sucks."

"That it does." Virion's eyes clouded over with thought, and I wondered if he was imagining how his home must look now. "I should…"

"Go on." I smiled at him, though I knew it was tired. "No need to think of an excuse."

"...Thank you." He actually snagged my hand and kissed it before walking off. I laughed it off, hoping the blood didn't make him ill, and wandered in a different direction. It seemed like most of the Plegians were dead, finally, and things were calming. So, I picked my way to where Chrom was talking to Phila, planning on just listening in, and poke holes in their guilt.

"I made it!" But Cordelia stumbled over, and I yelped and rushed over to support her as I noticed just how _pale_ she was, and how her armor was actually cracked and dented. She had patches of dried blood on her neck, blood splatter that had run from sweat, and there was actually bloody feathers clinging stubbornly to her hair. "I'm fine," she whispered. I gave her a skeptical look. "Really, I'm-"

"Gods, and I thought Robin was a bad liar," I whispered. I shook my head and took more of her weight. "Any more pushing, and you're going to drop dead from exhaustion. Just give your report, and don't worry about how you look. You look a mess anyway, and no amount of proper posture is fixing that."

"How _wonderful_ to hear." Cordelia sighed, and leaned into me, looking up at Chrom. "You have to run. More Plegians come, not half a day behind me."

"Is that so?" Chrom asked calmly. He looked resigned. "So, the border?"

"Breached. Gangrel himself attacked us," Cordelia answered. She began trembling. "The end was upon us when my fellows begged me to escape alone and warn Exalt Emmeryn." Her voice cracked, and she shook more. "Oh, gods, I still hear their screams… I should've stayed. I should've-"

"Stop the line there, Cordelia," I murmured. I shifted so that I was holding her a little more securely, and let her hide her face in my shoulder. "Easy…"

"She's right, Cordelia," Phila suddenly added. She walked over and rested a gentle hand on Cordelia's shoulder. "You did your duty, and your knight-sisters rightly trusted their legacy to you. Your pegasus was the fastest of the group, after all, and you have many years ahead of you." Cordelia didn't answer. She simply sobbed. "You did well. Let their faith give you strength, in time." Phila stepped back and turned, and all of us froze when we realized Emmeryn was right there. "Your Grace…"

"I must return to the capital," Emmeryn whispered, clinging to some sort of cloth covered object. She narrowed her eyes, anger bleeding into her words. "I never should've left. When word comes, the people will be frightened. There could be riots. I must leave and calm them."

"Your Grace, please do not be absurd!" Phila protested. I looked around, trying to see who was near. Robin and Lissa raced over. Frederick lingered back, his arm in a sling, likely to keep him from moving it. He caught my eye and pointed towards Stahl, who limped back towards the main part of the supplies. I nodded and passed Cordelia to Stahl, so that she could get medical attention too. And see her best friend. "Your life is-!"

"I am not requesting that, Phila. I am commanding it." She shook her head. "Please."

"...Allow me and mine to escort you."

"Always." She smiled briefly, and turned to Chrom, who had a stony expression. "Chrom, keep this safe." She passed him a cloth covered object. "This is the Fire Emblem. Take it to Ferox and-"

"And leave you?" Chrom finished bitterly. He shook his head, and pointedly refused to take it. "No, Emm. I'm not doing that."

"Chrom-"

"No, you're talking like you're giving up, and I will not just-"

"I'm not giving up." She handed the Fire Emblem to Robin, of all people, and shook her head. Robin gave me a shocked look, but I threw up my hands, not even trying to understand any of this. "I'm giving what I _can_."

"This is madness!" Chrom shook his head violently, as if he could just erase what was going on. "Emm, you can't-!"

"Sis, I'll come with you!" Lissa broke forward and threw herself into Emmeryn for a hug. Robin took that opportunity to walk away, likely to coordinate people. "I'll come with you," she repeated. "That way-"

"No, Lissa," Emmeryn murmured. She returned the hug briefly before stepping out of it. Big, fat tears already streamed down Lissa's face. "You'll stay with Chrom. I command it."

"But…!" Lissa's voice cracked, and she actually turned to me to hide her sobs. "It's not fair! It's not fair! I know our people need you, but we do too!"

"Now, now." Emmeryn crouched by Lissa, while I awkwardly patted Lissa's back and wondered how I got dragged into this. "Dry your tears, love. This is not goodbye."

"You can't just leave like this!" Chrom snapped. His eyes blazed with pain, and it was all too easy to see his heart was already shattering. Emmeryn winced at the sight. "And stop acting like Lissa and I are five again! We both know what it means to return, especially right now!"

"Chrom…" Emmeryn began. But she paused, clearly unable to think of what to say. "I…"

"Walking to your own death will not bring peace to anyone!" Chrom brought his hand up, like he was going to grab her, but he let it fall. "Ylisse needs you still! We need you still! By the gods, I've watched you give up everything for the title, but can't you be selfish just this once!?"

"Chrom." Emmeryn got a strangely peaceful look on her face. "You still cannot quite see who the peace I seek is for, it seems."

"Which is why you need to stay and show me, for fu-!"

"Chrom." She reached out and hugged him tightly, stopping his words cold. "Chrom, quiet. I want you to promise me something."

"...What is it?" He slowly relaxed into the hug, though he didn't return it yet. "What do you need me to do?"

"Be happy." Her voice was soft. "I want you to promise to be happy, and to not throw away love, friendship, or _anything_ , just because you feel guilty over my choices." She pulled away and cupped his face, smiling at his shocked and confused look. "You know what I'm talking about, in your heart of hearts. If you need help, talk to Frederick. But I know what you try to deny, and I know why. And I want you to stop that, because I want you to have all the happiness life can give you. I don't want you to deny even a second of it, because of me."

"I don't…" He still looked confused, but then there was a bit of realization in his eyes. He knew. He knew; he just didn't want to know. "Emm, that's not… I mean…"

"No. Hush. You promise me." She smiled as he slowly nodded. "Good. Be happy. Don't give up."

"Emm, stop talking like…" Chrom bowed his head. "Damn it, Emm."

"I love you. You and Lissa are my everything."

"I love you too, sister, but this is a terrible plan."

"But it will buy you the time to come to Ylisse's rescue. You and I will keep our people safe. I believe that with all my heart." Her smile warmed. "Safe journey, Chrom."

"Emm…" He reached up and hugged her tightly. "You'd better be there at Ylisstol."

"I will." She hugged him back. "I know you'll save it."

"And we need to go on a picnic or something, you, me, and Lissa. You canceled our last one, so you owe us."

"I do. It'll be fun. I'll make a little menu for it." She giggled, and stepped away. Chrom's hand lingered on her sleeve, like a child clinging to… no, like a little brother clinging to his big sister, something he likely did before she inherited her title.

But then he let go, just as he had to when she became the Exalt, and she walked away to do her duty, leaving him to bear the burdens of everything else.

Emmeryn crouched down next to Lissa and tugged her off of me. "Safe journey, Lissa," Emmeryn whispered, hugging Lissa. Lissa continued to sob. "I love you."

"L-love you too," Lissa managed through her tears. "I… Emm, be careful!"

"I'll do what I can." Emmeryn straightened then, letting Lissa run to Chrom for reassuring hugs. Then, to my surprise, she actually hugged _me_. "Do not be afraid."

"Of what?" I whispered, feeling a little odd about everything. Why would she hug _me_ next? "I can think of a lot of reasons to be afraid of right now, without trying."

"Do not be afraid that you will lose this." She tightened her hug as I stiffened. "You are safe here. You have a home here. That will never change."

"...I…" I hesitantly returned the hug. "I can try; I suppose." I had told Virion a little. He hadn't reacted badly. So maybe...

"You can tell Chrom as well. I promise; he will simply accept it, as he does everything else." She pulled away and smiled at me. "Thank you for joining us, Kestrel. I'm so glad you did."

"...You're not going to make it, are you?"

"Who can say?" Still, her smile took on a bitter tinge. "There used to be a curse associated with the Fire Emblem, that triggers when given to a champion. The end of war, and the end of love, among other things. But I suppose I ended it on my own, long ago. Perhaps I might still play a part in ending the war as well."

"...Don't sacrifice the queen unless there's no choice. You promised that."

"And I will remember that." She pulled away, gave me a very curious smile that looked proud and relieved, and turned away, walking gracefully towards the supplies, with Phila only a step ahead, shouting orders.

Chrom shouted his own, to his Shepherds, and things were a chaotic mess of screams, protests, and trying to divide up supplies. In the mess, I noticed Frederick lingering back, out of the way, glancing towards where Emmeryn was. He looked like he wanted to say something, do something, but held still, held back, because… it wasn't proper. It wasn't his duty. His duty was with the Shepherds, and could afford little else right now.

...I hated it. I hated seeing him like this, especially since he had helped me. So, I walked over to him and gave him a good shove, towards Emmeryn. "Go," I whispered. He gave me an incredulous, startled look. "Go, speak with her one more time. You'll regret it if you don't." I pointedly turned away, and started pushing everyone forward, away from them. Chrom gave me a confused look, but he looked back and then nodded, giving me a wan smile as he moved forward with the others, urging everyone to pick up the pace. To leave Emmeryn and her escorts behind.

When I glanced back, I saw Emmeryn and Frederick hugging, and thought I saw them share a kiss, likely their first, and their last. I turned away to give them their peace, and walked forward with the rest of the Shepherds. Frederick would catch up. He'd do his duty, just as Emmeryn would do hers.

And as… we had to do ours, I supposed.

* * *

 _Notes on Lon'qu:_

 _Class - Mymidon; Reclass - Thief, Wyvern Rider._

 _Though he hails from Regna Ferox, his name and his features hints he was born on Chon'sin, across the sea in Valm. He is Basilio's right hand, and, by all accounts, is like a son to Basilio._

 _Fast and skilled, with an uncanny eye for finding weak points. His reliance on speed, however, means that he forgoes armor, meaning if he can't dodge, he gets hurt badly._

 _Supposedly has 'gynophobia', but his responses seem more in line with PTSD. Perhaps he lost a female friend or family member violently as a child, and now, he is afraid to get close to another._

* * *

Author's notes: And here comes the chapter where I think everyone knew Emmeryn's fate was sealed. The Plegians kill the Hierarch, but I had Kestrel do it instead. The 'curse on the Fire Emblem' mentioned here is something from FE1/11, Artemis's Curse, brought up in story a few times. Menidy was one of the 'Great Houses' of Archanea during FE1/11/3/12, though I do not believe it was ever really mentioned in game, if at all; it's the house of Jeorge, a playable character in those games. There's nothing in either game that suggests that the home estate of the house would be in the mountains, or be Ylisse's Eastern Palace. I threw that in for the hell of it.

Based off of maps, Ylisse is made up of territories belonging to Archanea, Talys, and Pyrathi. Plegia is made up of territories belonging to Dolhir, Macedon, Altea (yes, Altea), Gra, and Grust. Ferox, ftr, is made up of territories belonging to Aurelis and Khadein. Though, a look between maps hints that sea levels dropped, among other things, making direct comparison a little harder. Thus the mention of the battle with Grima literally shifting the landscape (based a bit off of Middle Earth's War of Wrath, or whatever the final battles with Morgoth were called).

Next Chapter - Interlude, Desperation


	14. Interlude - Desperation

Interlude - Desperation

* * *

 _We make our way to Ferox, at a hard march that actually made some people twist their ankles. Still, we kept going, and we sent Cordelia and Sumia ahead to inform Flavia about what happened. When we made it to the border, Raimi met us and escorted us all the way to Eclil, where Flavia greets us with warm food, warmer baths, and generally anything and everything we needed._

 _Now, we wait for Ferox to call their army, and for the dreaded news of Ylisstol's fall._

* * *

Everything moved both slowly and quickly. None of us knew what to do, yet we all were filled with nervous energy. And while we were waiting for more news from Flavia, Lissa had a panic attack.

"B-but she'll be safe inside the castle, right?" she sobbed. She shook badly, and it took all of Maribelle's strength to keep her from collapsing. "Phila and the others will protect her, and Flavia is getting the army, and we'll be back in time, right?"

"Try to take a breath, Lissa," I urged, crouching down to look her in the face. This meeting with Flavia had originally been just for Chrom and Lissa, and Sumia had come by to bring him food, but she'd seen Lissa falling apart and sent for Maribelle and me. Maribelle focused on supporting Lissa, while I tried to get through to her. "Deep breath, Lissa."

"B-b-but…!" Her voice cracked. "Chrom, tell me it'll be okay!" She twisted to look at her brother, who stared into the distance, not even acknowledging Sumia as she tried to get him to eat. "Say 'of course we will' or something!" But there was no response. "Chrom!"

"Huh?" Chrom jerked at the yell, and turned to Lissa. "I'm… sorry, did you say something?" he asked. He _really_ hadn't been paying attention. "Do you need another handkerchief?"

"No! Gods, you idiot!" Her breath hitched and she turned into Maribelle. "Get out of your own head!" That didn't seem fair for her to say, considering she was the one sobbing. But, then again, fear made illogical idiots out of everyone.

"I… sorry…" Chrom flinched, and he looked away. It wasn't long before his eyes unfocused again. Likely, he was thinking of how poor of a brother he was, because that seemed like him.

"Captain, you should eat," Sumia urged, trying to catch his attention. I returned to trying to calm Lissa with Maribelle. None of us had much luck. "Captain…" Lissa was inconsolable, and Chrom was too deep in self-pity and hatred. "Oh, snap out of it, Captain!" And then Sumia proceeded to hit Chrom in the face with a gauntleted fist. It wasn't a punch. It was more of a fisted-slap or something. It certainly made a loud noise, one that made all of us pause and simply stare. "Um… did I do it wrong?" Lissa stopped crying; Chrom stared, his jaw reddening up. "Um… did I do it wrong? Phila always says a good slap will shake someone out of their doldrums."

"Those slaps are typically with an open hand, and not while wearing a gauntlet," I pointed out. "You hit Chrom in the face with something that's intended as a weapon."

"Oh." Her face went red. "I'm so sorry!"

"I think my jaw is broken," Chrom murmured, pressing a hand against his jaw. "Or that I lost some teeth."

"L-let me see!" Lissa yelped. She pulled away from Maribelle and raced over to Chrom, making little whimpering noises as she examined the area. Maribelle and I hung back awkwardly, while Sumia hesitantly moved behind me, her face mottled red from mortification. "Wow, Sumia, you did some damage!"

"I'm sorry!" Sumia squeaked, hiding behind me further. Maribelle was giving her a 'what were you _thinking?_ ' look. "I just… I forgot I was wearing my gauntlets still!"

"Why do you have them on?"

"I was sparring with Cordelia before I came here. Is it bad?"

"Bruised, but nothing broken or loose." Lissa giggled, patting Chrom's cheek. He looked exasperated, but he reached up to wipe away the tears still clinging to her face. "I'll tend to it with my staff later, Chrom."

"Well, you're livelier than I expected." Flavia finally walked in then, laughing a little. "Well, Chrom, it seems you're smart enough to surround yourself with strong women."

"Huh?" Chrom replied, looking confused. He glanced around, and that's when it dawned on all of us that Chrom was literally the only guy in the room. "Oh. Huh. I… actually, I don't know a good way to reply without sounding like an ass."

"Then you may keep quiet, and let me give you my news." She smiled slightly. "The army is mobilizing, and we'll be ready soon." Chrom and Lissa lit up at that. "Everyone is itching for a fight, and I must say, I'm looking forward to savoring a skirmish or two myself."

"I see." Chrom managed a smile, though he winced as his blooming bruise protested. "So, you'll be coming with us?"

"Of course, a Khan needs her exercise, and I won't send my people to fight where I won't go. I'm even bringing my insignificant other, once he gets his brown ass over here." She sighed. "But no, the oaf is like 'let me send scouts'. He's not good for much, but he'll stop a few stray arrows, at least." She smiled again. "For now, please, rest. You will need it in the coming days. No one knows war like a Feroxi, so believe me when I say…" Her smile fell and her expression became grave. "War is a beast, and it devours all that it wishes, without regard for anything but its own hunger. When it passes by, all fall victim to it, in body, in spirit, and in mind. There are no victors when War comes, only survivors, and it will take everything you have to be one of those survivors, no matter how strong you are." The sobering words echoed in the silence. "Rest, and gather your reserves. You will need them."

"...Thank you, Flavia." Chrom's own words were soft. "We'll… do that." And so we all went our own ways, with Sumia clinging close to me, and Maribelle taking charge of Chrom and Lissa.

Flavia watched us leave, and I didn't even need to glance back to know she was staring at us worriedly. She was afraid of what this war would do to us, because she was kind, and she might have even been praying to War itself to let us survive.

* * *

I checked in on everyone. I couldn't… not. There was nothing to do, and so, I fretted. In my fretting, I went to see if anyone needed help. I checked in on Frederick first, but he was instructing Sully, Stahl, and Kellam in lances, so I left them be. Robin had locked himself in his room, studying, and I just left him extra candles for when it got darker. Lissa was with Maribelle, having tea. I couldn't find Sumia, but a quick word with a servant told me she and Cordelia went flying to calm their minds. Miriel, Ricken, and Virion were in the library. Panne was curled up in the stables with the horses, chatting with them. Lon'qu and Vaike were actually sparring.

I sighed as I wandered the halls, almost put out that no one needed help. I thought about just cooking for everyone, if only to have something to do, but a quick glance to the sky told me that it was far too early to start cooking dinner. Grimacing, I decided to head towards Chrom's room and asking if he'd like to spar, since at least we'd be distracted for a bit. When I got to his room, though, I heard a strange clanging crash sound and burst in, wondering what the hell was going on.

Even when I was there, I couldn't figure it out for a second, though. Chrom was on his feet, Falchion in his hands, and the Fire Emblem was on the ground a short distance away, flipped over like it had been thrown.

"Chrom?" I whispered. There was no response. "Chrom, it's Kestrel. Can you hear me?" I knocked on the door frame when there was still nothing. "I guess you're in your own world." I walked further in, closing the door behind me, and bent to pick up the Fire Emblem.

"Don't touch it," Chrom hissed. He glowered at the thing. "Just…"

"Why don't I get it out of sight?" I used my foot to push it under the bed, and turned to face him. "So, what happened? Did it fall while you were practicing?"

"No, I tried to break it." His words were anger and bitter. "But while I'm a master at accidentally breaking things, but the one time I _really_ want to break something important on purpose, it's impervious to damage."

"Well, it's older than the Hero-King, just like Falchion." I reached over and slowly pried his hands off the hilt. "You shouldn't wield this when you're so angry." I noticed that while there was no bruise on his face now, likely tended to by Lissa and Maribelle before they had their tea, his left hand was swollen. "Did you try to punch it at first?"

"...Yes." He slowly relaxed, and let me take Falchion from him. I set it against the wall nearby. "Emm gave me the Fire Emblem while she went off to a trap."

"So, you wanted to be rid of it, since losing it might mean Emmeryn could come back?"

"Hell if I know." He flopped onto his bed, the anger fading for fear. "I don't know anything. I don't know about Emm. I don't know about Phila. I don't know about our soldiers. I don't know about our people. I don't know _anything_." He looked up at me, like a lost child. "I feel like I'm back then. Fifteen years ago, when the war was going on. I didn't know anything then either. I just knew people were angry, about everything, and people slowly starved after some bad battle and peasants were conscripted and killed, and…" He groaned. "Three months. Not even. In three months, Ylisse was ruined, all because of my father. Emm spent the last fifteen years trying to heal the wounds, but now they're just…"

"Sometimes, you have to reopen a wound, because something was healed within it, or infection set in." I moved to the window and drew back the curtain to get some actual sunlight into here. He flinched at the light. "Ylisse might've been healing well, but Plegia's wounds festered."

"Reminds me of the old stories of Ylisse and Plegia being mirrors of each other. If one fell, so would the other." He fell silent, and I fussed about his room, tidying things up. "I'm not going to see Emm again, am I?"

"You don't know that."

"She told me to 'be happy'. The last person to use that as a goodbye never came back." He scowled at the wall. "No, Clara never came back at all."

"Clara?" I didn't know that name. "Who's Clara?"

"My father's best friend. She disappeared after he died, and I haven't seen her since." He sighed, relaxing slowly. "I'm apparently the last person to see her. My memory is a blur about it though. Nothing made sense."

"Disappeared?"

"Yeah." He sighed, glancing out the window. "Maybe she went after the assassin that killed my father. Maybe she _was_ the assassin. Honestly, no one knows a damn thing. She came back from conquering Plegia Castle, gave Mother a hug, went to see my father, and just… disappeared."

"You miss her."

"She was basically my aunt. My father affectionately called her 'sister', even, and Mother talked fondly of her even after she left. Most condemned her, though. After all, she was my father's right hand." He laughed bitterly. "Plegia must _really_ hate her, though. She was the Holy Swordsman of Ylisse-"

"Oh, _her_!" I gasped, startled. I knew that title. Many heralded her as one of the strongest swordsmen of the entire continent, even fifteen years later. "I never heard her actual name."

"I guess that was a way of trying to erase her. You never really hear my parents' names either." He looked over at me. "Maybe that'll happen to Emm and me too. Maybe it was too much to think we could atone for my father."

"Or maybe you just need a little more time." I sat beside him, and smiled. "Besides, maybe we can change Emmeryn's supposed fate." I rested a hand on his. "I mean… I'm not… so certain on if destiny can be changed, but…" I shrugged. "You're a weirdo. She's a weirdo. Maybe that'll make fate go weird. And then you can repair everything, one step at a time."

"Fate is just a word. Anything can change." He turned his hand over so that he could grasp mine, and he smiled. "Right, we'll… figure out something."

"Of course." I smiled back, though I knew mine was sadder. Destiny was inescapable, though Robin and I had spent our lives trying to anyway. But… "Would you like… some silly stories about Robin and I when we were kids?"

"I'd love to hear." His smile warmed. "I can use them to tease him."

"Precisely." I laughed. "Now then… what's a good one?"

* * *

A few days later, Basilio arrived with his own forces. Flavia called Robin, Chrom, Lissa, and me to the meeting with him, and unfortunately, his dark look, even as he tried to smile in greeting, told me that whatever his scouts found, it wasn't good.

"I'll just get straight to the point," Basilio began. All of us were clustered in a little group in a too large room, and it took me a moment to realize this was actually where we'd held the party, post Championship. That felt like lifetimes ago. "It'll take a few more days to rouse Ferox to its full army and, worse, I've dark news."

"Bad news?" Chrom sighed. I reached up to pat his shoulder reassuring, and he gave me a thankful smile. Robin, on the other side of the circle with Lissa, flashed me a teasing grin. I glowered at him. "What is it?"

"I insisted on scouts because I had a bad feeling and, unfortunately, my scouts confirmed it. Ylisstol has fallen, and fell within hours of you even getting here." Basilio's words felt like a slap in the face. "From what I understand, you had a few traitors in your mix. My scouts reported that the traitors were killed by the Plegians, apparently much like how Ylisse killed Plegian turncoats in the past."

"...I've heard that, but neither Emm nor I could ever find a record of it." Chrom winced, and I wondered if those who had killed the traitors had been killed themselves, to keep the secret. "My sister? My people?"

"The city is tattered and the people are bleeding, but it seems civilian casualties were minimal. Army… not so minimal. But once Exalt Emmeryn was captured, they retreated behind their frontlines with her. We've word that there will be a public execution within the moon."

"E-Execution!?" Chrom shook his head slowly, like he was trying to avoid processing the word. "That's-"

"An obvious trap," Robin finished. He frowned heavily, supporting Lissa. She must've collapsed, based on her wide eyes and pale face. "It's not even a subtle one. It's a provocation."

"Exactly," Basilio agreed. He looked annoyed by the thought. "It's a hot brand to the ass, basically. So, we should weigh our options and-"

"We're heading to Plegia," Chrom declared. He turned to march down the halls. "I'll get my Shepherds and-WHOA!" I, however, took advantage of his cape and snagged him by it, tugging him off balance. "Hey!"

"Thank you, Kestrel." Basilio sighed. "Now, then, I will admit that is _one_ option." He waited for me to tug Chrom back to my side. "However, I think we've had enough royals waltzing into traps for the next century, yes?"

"He's going to murder her!" Chrom's eyes blazed with anger, but his posture was defensive, and fearful. "I don't-"

"Chrom, reminder, you lead people, and if this goes wrong, you'll lead them to their deaths," I pointed out lightly. It was enough to deflate him, though. "Now, then, no one is suggesting we don't act."

"She's right," Flavia confirmed. She scowled at Chrom. "We simply need to act _wisely_. We'll need guts _and_ wits in equal measure if we're to pull anything off."

"Which, if you give me a day, I can do," Robin replied, almost airily. All eyes turned to him, and I was startled by the ferocity in his eyes. "I'll think of something, Chrom. I promise. Just wait a day."

"Are you certain you can?" Flavia turned her scowl to him, but he met the look without even a little hesitation. "You'll hold Exalt Emmeryn's life in one hand, and all of ours in the other, you know."

"A difficult task, but I can do it." Robin's words were firm. "I don't take the responsibility lightly, but I am equal to the challenge."

"...Ha…" Flavia started laughing, to everyone's surprise. "Well, you've got stones, at least! I like it!"

"No hesitation, no mincing words," Basilio agreed. He started laughing too. "You're either a genius or a fool, but I suppose we'll see which it is on the march!"

There was a bit more talking, but everyone soon scattered. Basilio and Flavia went to rally up a strike force to accompany us for this. Robin went to his room to study, while Lissa wandered off on her own and Chrom bolted out. I hesitated, trying to think of where to go, before realizing something.

Plegia meant Grimleal. Robin and I were heading right to the heart of Plegia. I…

My feet took me to Chrom's room, and, noticing the door was open, I simply stepped inside, watching Chrom throw things about the room. He even kicked out the Fire Emblem from under the bed, and I wondered if he was thinking of using it as a bargaining chip for Emmeryn's life. The thought made me nauseous, but mostly because such a choice would be…

"Are you going to try and change my mind, Kestrel?" Chrom asked softly. He stopped what he was doing to look right at me. "You've been staring for a while."

"I somehow doubt anything can change your mind when you're this determined," I replied, voice just as soft. I hesitated, feeling my stomach turn again, this time for other reasons entirely. "It's just… I'm wary of entering Plegia."

"Well, it's enemy territory, and this is a bit reckless, but-"

"That's not why!" I winced as my voice echoed back, and I realized I'd yelled the words. "I…" I started to shake. I was scared. I was really scared. "Well…"

"Kestrel?" Chrom came over and gently took my hands. "Kestrel, if you want to stay behind-"

"I'm not leaving you." The words were heavier than I intended, and I instantly tried to lighten them. "I'm not leaving Robin. I'm not leaving Lissa, or Sumia, or… or any of the Shepherds. I just…" I sighed, and decided that I needed a starting point, like I had with Emmeryn. "Okay." I turned away, and, after hesitating a bit, started undoing the buttons on my shirt.

"Kestrel!?" Chrom's voice was squeaky, and it was so easy to imagine his face going red. "H-hold on! What are you…?"

"Chrom. Just… look at the back of my shoulder. My left shoulder."

"U-um… okay?" He still sounded squeaky. "What am I…?" He trailed off, and I knew he'd seen it. I still flinched as I felt him touch the Brand. "Robin has a similar one on his hand. Is it some sort of familial tattoo thing?"

"Not quite." I took a deep breath for courage, and to settle my nerves. "Naga's not the only one with a bloodline." I glanced back nervously, worried he'd be disgusted or scornful or something. But, instead, I just saw curiosity. "Grima… has one too. Robin and I…"

"You mentioned being on the run from your father. Is that why he had so many people to send after you? He's high ranked?"

"A bit. It's… complicated, and I'm sorry, I can't…" My voice cracked. I couldn't say it. I couldn't say I was a _Vessel_. I couldn't admit it. "I…"

Chrom wrapped his arms around me, tugging me into a hug. "No, don't force yourself." His voice was firm. "You're Kestrel, a wonderful woman, a kind friend, and a fierce fighter. Your past is your own, and what you want to tell me, I'll gladly listen, but I don't want you to force yourself, when it's clearly so painful."

"Even if I'm of Grima?"

"So what? You're still you." He rested his cheek on my head, and I closed my eyes, leaning back into the hug. It was soothing, and comforting. "Will people still be after you, even though your father is dead?"

"I think so. Or it might… just come up? I don't know." My voice cracked again. "I don't know. I've only ever run. Yet now, Robin and I are heading deeper into Plegia than we ever dared. So I don't know what will happen."

"I see." Silence fell, but he didn't let go of me. If anything, his hold on me tightened. "I'll keep you safe." His words were soft, and certain. "I'll keep you and Robin safe. I promise."

"You're… so ridiculous." I laughed a bit, unable to help it. It was just so _him_ to say that. "You're really too kind." I tilted my head back and managed a smile. "You know that you're hugging a half-shirtless girl, though, right?"

"Huh?" His expression blanked before his face went _beet-red_ and he jumped back, not looking at me. "I… I'm sorry! I just… you seemed like… okay, I just really wanted to hug you, and I'm impulsive, but I swear I didn't mean anything by it! I just… um…" He went redder as I laughed. "Um…"

"If I thought you had ulterior motives, I would've thrown you." I buttoned up my shirt, and turned to face him. "I… needed the hug, I think."

"Happy to oblige, though I should've asked or waited or…" He groaned, sitting on his bed. "I'm… just going to continue packing."

"Alright." I still giggled, far too amused by his reaction, but it died as I watched him fuss about the room, throwing things into his pack at random. "Do you want help?"

"Shouldn't you pack?"

"All the years on the run, and you think I'm not good at packing? I've _been_ packed." I sat down on the bed. "So, I'm free."

"Maybe later, but I like trying to think through things."

"Alright." I hesitated. "Do you mind… if I just stay in here anyway? I'll stay out of the way."

"You could never be _in_ the way in the first place." He gave me a warm smile, and I returned it gladly, feeling a little giddy. "Won't you be bored?"

"I'm never bored when I'm with you. Besides, you have books. I can read." I twisted around actually, snagged a book from his nightstand, and began reading, stretched out on the bed. "Oh, is this a story of the War with Bern, from the Elibean Saga?"

"Yeah, though it's not a Ribald retelling."

"That's not _all_ I read!" I laughed and started reading, humming a little as I did so. Chrom wandered the room, slowly packing for the trip. Every once in a while, the two of us chatted about some random thing we thought of, but we spent a lot of it in silence. Strangely content silence.

I… liked it. I liked him. Oh, gods, I had it bad, didn't I?

* * *

 _Notes on Maribelle:_

 _Class - Troubadour; Reclass - Mage, Pegasus Knight_

 _A high-ranked, high-class, somewhat bigoted member of the Shepherds, who is incredibly loyal to Lissa and Chrom. Especially Lissa. Something about Lissa being her first friend._

 _A very capable healer, with strong magic and some uncanny good luck. Her refusal to build up her physical strength limits her defenses, though._

 _Despite her bigotry against commoners, she is adamant that the laws should be equal for everyone and that justice shouldn't just go to whoever can pay the highest. To that end, she studies hard to become a magistrate._

* * *

Author's notes: In game, you just have one scene, but I split it into two parts to add a little bit more time. The 'Clara' mentioned here is the POV char for my _Shadows of the Exalt_ , which details the last five months of the Ylisse-Plegia war.

Next Chapter - The Grimleal


	15. Chapter 8) The Grimleal

Chapter 8) The Grimleal

* * *

 _So, we make our way into Plegia. Within a day, we're deeper within than I've ever been, and I twitch at every single movement in the distant sands. I make sure all of our equipment is still good for desert travel. I ended up being the one getting all the lists together, as I am the only person who has ever traveled through the Plegian deserts._

 _None of us are prepared for hiking and traveling through a desert. This is going to be bad._

* * *

Sand sucked. Deserts sucked. This part of Plegia sucked.

"I think I have sand in places I didn't know I had," Robin grumbled. He tucked his hood a little more firmly over his head, glowering at the sand-filled wind. We weren't in danger of a sandstorm, yet, but it was still annoying. "It's so bloody hot. Can't I take off my jacket?"

"Do you want a sunburn _on top_ of everything?" I retorted instantly, fixing my own hood. I'd just had to deal with Lissa removing her socks, and then complaining about how her shoes were chaffing her feet. "This is why I told everyone to wear loose clothing, but did some of you _listen_?" I looked pointedly at Vaike, who was actually being carried now due to bad sunburns and sun poisoning. "No, of course not. Make the one person who remembers traveling through a desert make the lists and then ignore half of it. _That's_ smart."

"You're still mad."

"Yes, especially since everyone is now complaining and they wouldn't be as bad off if they'd listened!" I glowered at the ground. "Why _wouldn't_ I be pissed off?"

"I will make sure that everyone who ignored your advice gives you a proper apology once the sun has finished cooking their brains."

"Too late for most of them."

"You know, though, I didn't see most Plegians wearing-"

"You've mostly seen soldiers and, more importantly, soldiers who weren't fighting in their home terrain. They wore proper stuff when actually traveling." I held up a hand when he opened his mouth again. "We'll also be fighting soldiers who _won't_ be traveling and _will_ have had proper shelter prior to coming out to fight us. We're _hiking through the desert_."

"Everything okay, you two?" Chrom appeared next to me, frowning at us worriedly. I was slightly mollified at how he was wearing clothes I'd recommended, from long loose clothes to a hooded cloak to protect his head. Though, his also had other practical reasons: hiding his Mark of the Exalt. "You seem to be arguing?" he continued. "Or at least grumbling."

"Kestrel is understandably still upset that some of the Shepherds didn't listen to her advice, and now have the gall to complain," Robin explained with a bright smile. I groaned to emphasize his words, and he laughed. "Then she was explaining to me why what I'd seen Plegians wear is different from what she recommended."

"I see." Chrom gave me a sympathetic smile before looking ahead, towards the neverending sands. "I'd like to think it's our cunning that got us this far, but honestly, this is ridiculous." Chrom sighed. "Whatever trap Gangrel has prepared, he certainly is in no hurry to spring it."

"Based on his sadistic mannerisms, I would guess he will spring it when we are near Emmeryn, to maximize the pain, frustration, and helplessness we feel." Robin's voice was almost too soft to hear over the wind. "That's my guess, though."

"Alternatively, he's simply letting the General Desert do the work for him, much like how we'll be relying on General Winter in Ferox once this is completed," I sighed. They both gave me surprised looks. "In case you haven't noticed, deserts suck. A lot. We're expending a lot of energy and supplies _crossing_ it, and we have to take a longer route to avoid getting caught by patrols on the main road. Winter's the same up in Ferox, where it plays a substantial role in their defenses. Flavia suspects winter will come early, so after this, it'll be better to hole up and gather supplies."

"I wonder why Gangrel chose to now to attack then," Robin murmured. He frowned, pressing his hand to his mouth as he thought. "I mean… unless Gangrel can end this in _this_ battle, not freaking likely, then wouldn't his approval take a huge hit? He's conquered Ylisse, yes, and has Emmeryn, but unless Chrom and Lissa die in this next encounter, again not freaking likely, then the people still have a rallying point."

"You're thinking Gangrel might've fallen into a trap himself?"

"Maybe?" He shrugged, sighing. "Like I said, unless he gets a total victory in this _one_ battle, his approval will take a big hit. He could use the winter to reclaim it, but at the same time, why take that risk? It's like someone who advises him _wants_ him to fall." He glanced at Chrom and me. "Is there anyone who will benefit?"

"I don't know Plegian politics, I'm afraid," Chrom answered regretfully. A particularly playful gust of wind nearly knocked his hood off, but he reached up and caught it quickly. "But, I imagine there's _someone_."

"Grimleal might," I whispered. I shuddered, thinking of the bits of Plegian politics I knew. "The Grimleal are supposed to advise the king. If the decided Gangrel was too much trouble, they might 'advise' him into political suicide." I could see my father doing that, easily, and I could see that Aversa woman doing the same. "Then they could install a different king, one more likely to go along with their plans…" If that was the case, then Gangrel was just a… false king. A pawn, a jester dressed up as a king, being maneuvered by the 'true king'. But who would it be? My father was dead, so perhaps the new Hierophant?

"Captain Chrom!" All thoughts scattered as Cordelia swooped down in front of us. "Fighting to the south," she reported breathlessly, looking distinctly windswept. I wondered how fast she had flown to reach us. "Grimleal, based on the magic we saw." I tried not to stiffen. Chrom snuck his hand into mine and squeezed it reassuringly. "Orders?"

"Let's press on," Chrom answered. He looked to Robin, and they shared a nod. "Take Gaius with you and get me numbers and a rough map of the area. Tell Sumia to fall back with us. I'll need her to help our mounted keep their horses calm, alongside Frederick."

"Understood!" Cordelia took off then, and I worried she might be pushing herself. But there was no time, as we had to get ready for a battle. In the heat. And sand. With Grimleal.

Please… let Robin and I get through this. Let _everyone_ get through this.

* * *

I hated deserts. I hated sand. I hated heat, especially like this. We had four people drop from heat exhaustion. Thankfully, healers got to them before the enemies, but this was possible a worst case scenario. It was all the worst because we were _trying_ to reach a little girl wearing too little clothing, especially for the desert, who was being chased by a visibly older male.

"I am… so tired… of all this…" Robin bit out as he cast another spell. He and I were back to back, but he was panting. His lower stamina was starting to kick in. "Also, am I imagining the little bits of red radiating off or is that heat?"

"Neither, it's a magic that is not magic that your Insight lets you pick up," I replied. I grimaced as my footing shifted in the sands. "What do you see?"

"It's almost like red hands that trip people up?"

"I think it's called Anathema. You got it from our father. Is this the first time you've noticed it?"

"Well, typically speaking, there tends to _always_ be a lot of red around me. My thunder spells tend make things explode." Robin hummed a little in thought, and leaned against me. "Wonder why. Miriel was curious."

"Mom. Something you got from Mom. I think. I didn't get it." I sighed, wondering just what I might've gotten from her. I knew what I inherited from my father. Maybe I just didn't get anything from her… "Don't ask me what. I've no clue. I just know she was strong, and was able to learn curses despite not being a sorcerer."

"Isn't that… against the rules or something?" Robin leaned further on me. My back was starting to actually itch from the sweat. "...We're of…"

"Yep."

"So Mom…"

"Not her. Our father. Who is happily dead."

"How powerful is the Hierophant?"

"Very."

"What was her rank?"

"High Priestess. Her skill at curses and spells is what led her to become it." Maybe that was why she had left. She hadn't been born into it. She had just clawed her way up to the highest position a woman could reach. And then she'd thrown it all away to make sure we didn't end up as sacrifices.

"Wish I could remember her. Tell me more later?"

"What bits I can remember, sure." I sighed and then shrugged him off of me. "C'mon… you're heavy."

"No, don't make me stand up!" His voice became playful and whiney. "No!"

"What are the people going to say when they see their tactician acting like a child?"

"Probably wonder why his sister is being so mean!" He laughed, but it cut off abruptly as he whirled, tome crackling with power. "Damn, the girl…!"

I almost asked, but then I saw a swordsman had actually targeted the girl, swinging for her _very_ unguarded abdomen. Before I could yell, though, bright light wrapped itself around the girl, almost blinding under the desert sun. When the light cleared, there was… there was a dragon. There was a _dragon_. _There was a dragon_.

Holy hell, the girl was a manakete.

"That was…" Robin breathed. He stared, jaw dropped and everything, as the dragon-girl breathed some sort of misty breath to take out the swordsman in one hit. "This is…"

"She doesn't need our help so much as we could _really_ use hers," I summarized. "A taguel and a manakete. What the hell?"

"Manakete?"

"Think Taguel, but rarer, and dragons." What was she _doing_ here? I'd heard there were some across the sea in Valm, but I'd never met anyone who'd met one. "I'm going to head closer."

"And I'm going to stay away from the dragon like the smart person I am." He ducked under my half-hearted swipe. "Love you."

"Love you too." I sighed and made my slow, slipping way over to the dragon. My legs ached and my arms shook, reminding me that I either needed my second wind soon or collapse. I had gotten lucky so far on injuries, though, so that was nice. The problem was keeping it that way when we still had at least ten, maybe even twenty Grimleal fighting us. Maybe more.

"Keep away from her, creep!" Still, there was something amusing about Lissa scowling and looking all fierce as the dragon shifted back to a little girl who _quickly_ darted behind Lissa. As if Lissa were somehow scarier. "Men like you are horrible," she continued, looking almost like an almighty mom despite how much younger she was. "Horrible!"

"Horrible?" The man who had been chasing the dragon-girl looked almost distressed. "This day has been nothing but insults and punches to the groin. Maybe you cannot see, but does not Gregor have innocent baby-face?"

"Nope." Lissa glowered. "So-"

"Bah, never be minding." The man sighed, and an old memory bubbled through my head, about an old, famous mercenary, one skilled enough to actually have once been a contender for the title of West Khan. "Look, Gregor just wants to do good deed."

Gregor. That's right. I'd heard it while traveling. Gregor, a mercenary who spoke in a heavy accent no one recognized, who had a bad grasp of Common, but also had a wicked skill with a blade to survive many, _many_ years as a mercenary.

"You're Gregor, right?" I called. Lissa, the dragon-girl, and the man looked to me. "Right?" The man nodded. "The really famous mercenary?" I glanced at Lissa, noting the grateful smile Gregor gave me. "Gods damn it, _hire him_. I'm sure he'll like getting away from Grimleal. They've a habit of killing mercenaries to get out of paying."

"Gregor also does not like those who sell people," Gregor replied. He grinned, saluting me. "So, let us be making with evil people dying, yes?"

"Yeah, sure." I shrugged, feeling a little dazed by things. A sudden bad feeling washed over me, and I shivered, feeling like I was in shadow, or that the sun had set. "Lissa, take them to the back, okay?" I had no idea why I felt like this. I wondered if it was just someone using dark magic, since I had such a bad association with it. "Go on." Lissa made some noise of agreement and led the two off. I looked around, trying to figure out what caused the bad feeling. Something, an arrow maybe, flew over my shoulder, reminding me that there were still enemies and I really didn't have the time to figure it out. But then something bounced off my shoulder, tumbling down my arm to hit the sand below.

When I looked down, I saw it was a red-capped robin, dead with blood trickling into the sand underneath. A male one, since it, you know, had the distinctive red-cap.

"Robin?" I called, fear flooding me. I looked around wildly, ignoring how another arrow clipped my cheek. "Robin?" Instead, I hunted for Robin, wishing I had stayed by him, since the sandy wind and chaotic battle made it hard to find _anyone_. "Robin?!" I nearly cried when I finally found him a distance away, just within sight. He was batting an archer, keeping them off of Sumia. I took a step that way, and then saw something else. A mage, carrying a purple tome, wearing the uniform of a rank-and-file soldier of the Grimleal.

Everything slowed to a crawl; I felt like I was complete separated from everything. I watched the mage, the dark mage, cast their spell. I watched the spell slink through the shadows, aimed right for Robin. I watched as the spell reared up from his own shadow, ready to strike. I watched as Chrom, from out of freaking nowhere, slide between Robin and the spell. I watched as blood flew. I watched each drop dance on the wind, like petals. Nothing felt real until I heard someone, maybe Lissa, shriek in pure horror. Sounded like her.

Then something in my head snapped and I let my temper _roar_.

My blood burned and bubbled under my skin as I screamed, and the wind stilled, frightened into submission as the sound echoed back. Black flames wrapped around me, my 'Vengeance', inherited from my damnable father. A skill normally only useable by sorcerers but my damn blood, and my being a _damn Vessel_ , gave me skills I shouldn't have. Because I was _Grima_ , not human, and human rules _weren't mine to follow_!

I kicked up a fallen tome and cast it at random before even grabbing it from the air. A mage went down. I snatched the tome, noticing now it was purple, and cast another spell, this time making sure to target the one who had targeted Robin, and attacked Chrom. Then I twisted and cast it a third time, aimed at another random soldier.

Someone attacked me. I didn't know who. I couldn't see them. It could've been one of the Shepherds, terrified of me. But I didn't care. I didn't care. _I didn't care, so long as these bastards all burned_!

My blood cracked and bit into my skin as I fought with both the tome and the sword. I ignored it. Weapons carved into me. I ignored them. Magic peppered me. I ignored them. Pain tried to overwhelm me. I turned it into strength, through 'Vengeance'. The more they made me bleed, the stronger I became. The more I bled, the more _they_ bled. Their blood splattered everything. My own burned within, cackling with glee at releasing everything. At releasing the full wrath of a Vessel. Of stepping so, so close to Grima.

The laughter I'd heard that day, back when I killed my father, echoed through my head. The panic flooding me just made me all the more reckless and hit everything harder.

One lucky enemy managed to get a pretty bad hit on me, right across the chest, but I held on through sheer determination and luck. Realizing I wasn't dead, they stared at me with wide eyes and trembling body as they stumbled back. "L-lady Raven?" they whispered. Their voice shook. "B-but how…? You… you're dead…"

I didn't answer. I just swung down as hard as I could right on their skull, the dark flames wrapping around and letting me cleave straight through the body. As they fell, I looked around the area, and saw only blood, corpses, and looks of fearful awe directed towards me from my friends. I directed my attention to myself and noticed how my wounds bled, blending in with the blood of the fallen, and covering the burns from various spells.

I could almost laugh. I'd been so careful to not let them see how much of a monster I was, but here I went, proving myself to be the worst kind, the kind that looked human. Now, they looked afraid, just as I feared, and I just wanted to run, but the pain was flooding me and I just wanted to collapse. But I couldn't because now… now I didn't know what they'd do. I didn't know…

"Kestrel?" Sumia suddenly appeared in front of me. It took me a couple of blinks to realize she had likely just flown down and walked over, but everything had hurt too much, and I'd been too fearful, to notice. "Kestrel, hey, are you okay?" she asked me, looking so genuine, so worried, that it just made everything hurt more. "Kestrel?"

"I…" I tried to say. But my voice rasped, and the one word broke the damn. Tears streamed down my face and my knees buckled. But Sumia caught me before I hit the ground. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" I clung to her, whispering apologies over and over again.

I didn't want to be alone again. If I apologized enough, maybe I'd be allowed to stay anyway? Despite being a monster? I hoped… gods, did I ever hope…

* * *

Sumia tried to get me to go to the healers. I begged to just be dropped off at my tent, citing that Chrom was near _death_. Miriel actually had to use a thunder tome to restart his heart at one point. I would live. I hurt, and I hobbled, but I'd live. I eventually won her over, but she insisted on helping me clean my numerous injuries. They were bad, jagged lines of red and blotchy patches of pink all over most of me, and I kept reopening them as we tried to clean them. Sumia demanded to get a healer, and she might've won that argument, except Frederick yelled for her, saying they needed her and Cordelia to make sure the camp was secure.

I had urged her to go, whispering that we needed to keep everyone safe, and she'd eventually left, but not before giving me a quick, but warm, hug. Then, in the safety of my tent, I worked on bandaging up my own injuries. Everything burned and ached, with pain rippling through at each movement. But I eventually got everything bandaged, and so I fell back on some pillows, curling up in them as I tried to hide from the world. I tried to stretch to reach a blanket, but winced in pain at the last second and curled up into a tighter ball. Then I relaxed a little because my back _ached_.

I overdid it. A lot. I hated everything.

"Kestrel?" Someone was calling me. "Kestrel, where are you?" Someone was running around outside my tent. "Kestrel? Come out here! I need to speak with you!" I curled into the pillows and tried to burrow under them, hiding from everything. "Kestrel!" I didn't want to hear it. I didn't want anything but to be left alone.

...No, that wasn't true. I didn't want to be _alone_. I wasn't okay with 'alone' anymore. Not since these crazy Shepherds brought such light and color to my dark and grey life. I'd been content, but now I wasn't. Gods, I could almost hate them, if I didn't love them all so much.

"Kestrel, are you in here?" The flap of my tent opened with a strange slapping sound, like someone was hitting it out of the way for _daring_ to block their bath. "Kestrel?" The voice was no-nonsense and haughty. I finally recognized it as Maribelle's voice. "...Kestrel, I can see your hair among the pillows. I know you're here."

"Damn it," I groaned, reluctantly pushing myself up. "What do you want?" My arms trembled from the effort, and my hips and legs protested the shifts in movement to sit up. "Can't a girl just rest in peace?"

"Well, not with that phrasing." Maribelle stomped over and crouched down in front of me, giving me the most irritated look. "Besides, we both know you're not 'resting. You're hiding and hiding is most unbecoming, you know."

I bristled, irritated that she'd figured it out so quickly, annoyed that she had dismissed it even quicker. "Oh, gods, fu-"

"Nope." She bopped me on the head. She actually bopped me on the head. Lightly. But still. "While I'm attracted to women as well as men, my dear, I must admit you are not quite my type. We'd mother each other too much."

"I'm pleased to hear that, since you're not my type either." My voice was as dry as possible. "No, just let the monster hide." I didn't mean to let that slip.

Her eyes widened a bit at it. "And why do you call yourself that?"

"Because _that's what I am_!" My voice cracked and I scooted away from Maribelle. "And that's… what everyone's eyes said." I tried to hide in the corner, pulling some pillows up to try and shield myself. It didn't work. I still saw her staring right at me, and I ached from even trying. "They were scared."

"...Well, yes, we were." Her voice was soft, and I couldn't decide if her honesty hurt or comforted. "You never gave any hint you could do that. One second, we're all fighting with the scariest thing being that Nowi girl who transforms into a dragon, and the next, you're tearing through enemies, somehow, on your own-"

"Vengeance. It's a sorcery skill. Magic that isn't magic. Turns pain into power. The more I bleed, the stronger I become, providing I have the skill to tap into the strength. But it's pretty damn easy to do so. So, the more they attacked me, the more damage I did to them in retaliation."

"See? Proper explanation." She sounded just so damn nonchalant. My annoyance flared back. "So-"

"Except you all saw how much damage I took!" My voice echoed back, each syllable feeling like a slap to the face. "You saw how much I bled! I-"

"Everyone has their strengths." She still sounded so nonchalant! I couldn't understand it! I could wring her neck for it, except I just _couldn't understand why she could so easily brush it off_! "I can sit through a five hour court dinner without my rear going numb. Lissa can run all over the place and never twist her ankles. Vaike surpasses all logical reaches of stupidity." She paused, as if waiting for a reaction, but I simply curled further into myself. "So, you can bleed more than most. It happens." But it didn't. It did- "I don't know why you hate yourself so much, Kestrel. You are a wonderful woman, if secretive. But the world doesn't hate you as much as you think." She paused as I burst into raucous, bitter laughter. "Er…"

"I'm like…" My own laughter cut me off, because the notion just seemed so _ridiculous_ to me. "Almost one-hundred-percent certain the gods hate me even more than I hate myself."

"...Well, we don't. We Shepherds, I mean. And if the gods have a problem with that, then they can come on down for me to give them a good smack with my parasol." She sighed, and ignored my stunned look of disbelief. "Yes, I mean that. We love you. Even if you did scare us a little. But, well, as Lissa said, she ultimately felt more scared that you'd somehow gone away."

"But…" I couldn't… wrap my head around that. I really couldn't. "But…"

"But, I didn't come in here to scold or… anything." She just… rolled with everything. "I'm sorry. My… abrasiveness shows itself more when I'm stressed, and I'm most worried about your injuries. Sumia told me they were _bad_."

"I'm fine." I laughed again, this time just darkly. "I'm really hard to kill."

"That doesn't mean I stop worrying. 'Hard' does not mean 'impossible'." She sighed once more. "But that's not the only reason I'm here. Chrom is asking for you." She paused again, but this time, it was to bring up her hand to stop my yelp of surprise. "No, he's not quite conscious. It… was a bad hit. He'll live, but it was a _bad_ hit. It'll take him some time to recover. I put Lon'qu in charge of making sure Robin doesn't overwork himself from guilt."

"Lon'qu." The mental image alone made me cringe from second-hand embarrassment. "Really."

"I should think the awkwardness will make Robin laugh." She held out her hand to me. "But, I'm not joking about Chrom. He's not quite conscious, and he keeps whispering your name. Won't you please come with me? I fear he will not get proper rest while he seeks you out."

"I…" I hesitated. I was scared. I was so… so… "I'm scared."

"I know, darling. You wouldn't be hiding here if not." She smiled at me, and it was a warm smile. I saw no fear in her at all. "But I'll be near, and if anyone even tries to be mad, they can deal with me." She meant the words. That was easy to tell. She was simply too sincere to lie. Maybe that was the cause of so much of her 'abrasiveness'. She was horribly, wonderfully honest. "Will you?" I still hesitated, but then I shyly took her hand. Her smile grew. "Come along, darling. Lean on me."

"Why are you so nice to me?" I had to hobble just to lean on her. "I mean…"

"You are dear to Chrom and Lissa. You saved them countless of times, and you saved me. It would be much harder to be mean to you." She hooked my arm around her shoulders and took most of my weight, despite not being very strong herself. "Though, I must admit. I was cross when I couldn't find you."

"I'm sorry."

"Well, how about instead of apologizing, you step out of the dark nest you're used to burrowing in and actually look around at us?" She managed to get us out of my tent. "We like you. It'll take much more than what you're able to do, or your past, to make us dislike you. Even Frederick says so."

"Wow, now I really have to believe that." We made it a few more steps. I was a bit heavy for her, but she stubbornly kept on helping me. "...Thank you, Maribelle."

"And that's another thing you can do. Thank people instead of apologizing. I promise; you'll feel much better for it." We lapsed into silence as we made it Chrom's tent. It wasn't actually far away from mine, but it felt infinitely longer since each step almost felt like a dagger was jammed into my foot. Repeatedly. "Stay here, okay? I'll be back to give you a check over."

"Take a rest on your own, first." I moved off her and gave her a worried smile. "I mean it when I say I'm hard to kill. Go get some tea with Lissa or tease someone. I'll stay… right here. Promise."

She gave me a long look before nodding. "Alright, but I'll send someone to check on you. That sound fair?"

"Yeah, more than fair. Sorry for…" I trailed off as she gave me a _look_. "Um… thank you for taking care of me?"

"It'll do." She gave me a smile. "Now, in you go." She made a pushing motion, but didn't actually push me, likely knowing how much I hurt.

So, I breathed in deeply, wincing a little as even _that_ hurt, and then stumbled into Chrom's tent. He was lying on his cot, blankets tucked around him semi-neatly. His chest was bandaged heavily, focusing closely on where the magic had struck: right around his heart. I noticed a chair set up next to him and hesitantly sat in it, noticing how he tossed in his sleep, one hand twitching like he was hunting for something.

"Kes…" he whispered. My heart jumped and my face flushed. Maribelle hadn't been joking. "Kes… where…?"

"I'm…" I began. My voice rasped, and my face heated up even more. "I-I'm here." Slowly, I took his hand and squeezed it. "I'm… right here."

"Kes…" He stopped tossing, and he seemed to relax. At the least, he didn't look quite so troubled. "I…"

"I'm here." The words were a little more firm, and I shifted in the chair slightly, trying to get comfortable. My back ached, so I scooted the chair closer. That way, I could hold his hand without leaning over awkwardly. "I'm… not leaving, Chrom. I'm here."

I wasn't sure if I actually had any effect. But he relaxed further, slumbering peacefully, and I kept holding onto his hand, even as I nodded off. I at least… felt needed. That would be enough.

* * *

Something soft and warm fell on me, and I stirred awake, free hand dropping to where I normally kept my sword. But there was no sword, just more of the soft and warm thing. I blinked slowly, whimpering a little as pain, less than before but still present, started stabbing through my drowsiness. It took me a couple of blinks to remember I was in Chrom's tent, not mine, and that the reason why I even had a 'free hand' instead of simply 'a hand' was because I was holding Chrom's hand while he rested from a bad injury. It took me a couple more blinks, and a yawn, to realize the 'soft and warm' thing on me was a blanket. Another yawn later, I actually thought to look up and I saw Sumia smiling at me.

"You weren't in your tent, so I got worried," she explained. There was something a bit off about her smile, though. "Maribelle said you were here."

"Yeah, Chrom…" I began. But my sleepy brain put the pieces together and I realized what was off. She was hurt. Because Maribelle likely had told her that Chrom had asked for _me_. "Ah…" Automatically, I made to drop Chrom's hand, to stand up and apologize, but she shook her head and instead leaned down to hug me.

"It's fine." Her voice was soft, and maybe a little fragile. It wasn't really 'fine'. My heart broke for her. "I told you. I love you both." I wanted to apologize, though. For hurting her. For being confused. For wondering just what it meant that Chrom had, in his sleep, asked for _me_. Did it mean what I thought it meant? Was it just me pushing my hopes on something innocuous? Even if it did mean what I thought, would anything come of it? He'd already told me his half-thought plans for romance and marriage, and I wasn't someone who'd be a good queen. There was no way his court would accept me, especially given the war.

But I didn't say any of that because I knew this wasn't the time. There were no answers to any of my questions. So, instead… "Thank you for the hug." I made sure to smile up at her. She smiled back, just as warmly. There was still pain in it, but it was _warm_. "And the blanket. What time is it?"

"Middle of second watch." She brushed the hair out of my face, and moved behind me to tie it back into its normal ponytail. "You missed dinner."

"And a great deal else." I held perfectly still as she carefully finger-combed my hair. "Did you just get back?"

"No, I was back a little earlier and found you. But then I went looking for a blanket, and uh… broke a few things…" Her voice sounded so sheepish. "Then I had to help Frederick catch an escaped horse that I… well… might've accidentally let loose when I was feeding them?"

"Did you not lock their paddocks or… whatever we're calling it when we're in the desert without proper fencing?"

"I might have?" She pulled my hair back into a ponytail and then leaned down again to hug me. "Frederick was being all dramatic about the poor thing, though. Called it a demon horse."

"Oh, Sully's horse then." I laughed, thinking of our last camp. "The one who chased Vaike for trying to spy on us while we were bathing in the oasis."

"Now that you mention it, I think it was." She giggled, and moved back to my side, patting my shoulder. "Need anything?"

"Not right now. I think I'm going to try and go back to sleep, truthfully." I smiled up at her. "Sleep off these injuries."

"I don't think they're something to just 'sleep off'." She laughed, though. "I'll leave you to it, then. I'll check back in a while."

"Night, Sumia." I waved as she headed out, and I sighed, wondering what I did to deserve her. I'd like to do it again. But that was neither here nor there.

I settled into my chair again, clinging to the blanket with my free hand, and glanced around the tent. It was simple, likely because no one had unpacked any of the things Chrom typically set up to make his tent a little more comfortable. Honestly, there was just Chrom in his cot, the chair I sat in, and a small table that had been set up next to me. A glass of water rested on it, likely someone worried I'd get thirsty, but it was almost covered in all the little notes left on the table. I picked up one, noting it was from Cordelia, and it talked about how she hoped he'd be well soon and that she was sorry for not being able to guard him better. A quick look through the others showed they were all similar things. I smiled at them, giggling a little over how many there were. Honestly, there was easily one for each Shepherd, and more likely, there were even three or four from some.

"Mmm…" But a small groan made me drop the note and instead lean over Chrom, legs protesting even that bit of movement. "Ugh…" But Chrom's eyes fluttered open, and I couldn't help but smile as his eyes slowly focused on me. Though, my heart nearly stopped at his sweet smile. "Morning?" he rasped. He tried to push himself up, but winced, gasping from pain, and laid back down. "Ow… what the…?"

"You took a bad hit from a spell," I explained, shifting to sit on the edge of the cot. I still held his hand. "Protecting-"

"Robin." His eyes widened. "How he is?"

"I'm sure he's working himself too much from guilt, though Maribelle supposed set Lon'qu on him to prevent that." I frowned at him, squeezing his hand. "I do… appreciate you keeping him safe as you promised, but you nearly died. That's not how promises should work. You have to live to keep fulfilling them."

"Hey, I _didn't_ die." He had the audacity to grin. "Where are we?"

"A camp we set up. You can't be moved with that injury."

"Do we have the time?"

"Chrom, if you push, you'll literally die. That strike was right at your heart." I rested my hand on his bandages for emphasis. "But that's neither here nor there. I'm going to go get Lissa and Robin." They were the two I knew needed to know Chrom was awake the most. "So, you behave yourself. Lie here and rest."

"But…" He sighed as I scowled. "Oh, fine, I will."

"Good." I squeezed his hand again, and left, limping a bit as my legs protested the sudden change in movement, and just being used after being overworked earlier. I wandered through the quiet camp, wondering just where Robin and Lissa might be. I heard quite a bit of laughter by the campfire, but I was… scared to approach. No matter how much Maribelle had reassured, I was still scared of what they thought of me. Still, I did really want to reassure Robin and Lissa. So, I hesitated, leaning forward towards the warm campfire, and leaning back to cold, but safe, shadows.

Before I could make a decision, though, a strange noise caught my ear, and a stranger… feeling in the air. Frowning, I headed for that direction, straining my ears to see if I could catch the sound again. But I made it all the way to the edge of camp and found nothing unusual. The feeling didn't disappear though. It was like we were being watched, but I couldn't see anything but sand, sand, and more sand.

"Kestrel?" The voice nearly made me yelp, but a gentle hand fell on my shoulder, so I looked up instead to see Robin. "Did you hear something too?" he asked me. I nodded and he sighed. "Okay, that's _four_."

"Four?" I repeated, curious. But then I looked behind me and saw Panne and the dragon-girl… Nowi, I thought Maribelle called her… walking up. "Damn, I was hoping I was just being paranoid."

"If so, it's all four of us." Robin waved to Panne and Nowi. Panne nodded back, while Nowi cheerfully waved in return. Nowi's eyes, though, looked at us curiously, and I wondered if she could sense the 'dragon' within us. "Anything?"

"Only that you two have sharp senses to pick up anything," Panne murmured. Her eyes narrowed slightly, glaring at something. "I smell blood on the wind. Blood and shadows."

"It smells like those people from before," Nowi added. She pouted, pointing to a dune. "They suck at hide and seek, though. Come on out! We know you're here!"

At first, nothing happened. But then, slowly, some Grimleal, recognizable by their uniforms, stepped out, practically materializing from the sands. They walked forward, and my skin crawled at the deranged hope that filled their eyes, and the sickening grins that split their faces.

"So, it's true…" one whispered. Their grin was the widest. "The Fell Twins really have returned!" They cackled, the sound echoing harshly off the dunes. "What deliverance! Our biggest annoyance has brought us the greatest of gifts!"

"Gifts?" Robin repeated. "Fell twins?" Robin looked confusedly at me. "Does this have to do with the sacrifice thing you mentioned?"

"Basically," I sighed. I didn't recall telling him about _sacrifices_ , but he probably made a guess. It wasn't really a wrong one either. "It also has to do with the fact that by Plegian Law, we're _technically_ nobles of stupidly high rank, though hell if I know what." I sighed, whimpering a little. "This is why we've never come this deep into Plegia."

"Then why did we?"

"Because the Shepherds did and neither of us have enough sense to outweigh our loyalty and love towards them."

"Oh, that makes sense."

"If you're done with your casual bantering, you might need to prepare for a fight," Panne growled. She dropped to all fours, beaststone glowing on her belt. "They're preparing to attack."

"Damn, they are," Robin sighed. He brought up his thunder tome and I… attempted to shift into a fighting stance, but my injures protested _vehemently_ and that was ignoring how I didn't even _have_ my sword on me. "Kestrel?"

"You're hurt badly still," Nowi chimed. She got on her tiptoes, peering up at me worriedly, even as she grabbed her dragonstone from a pouch around her waist. "You should rest up!"

"They're coming on us quickly," I protested. Indeed, the Grimleal looked perfectly ready to barrage us with spells. "Besides, they're after Robin and me, so-!"

A spell flew, a simple fire one. I tried to dodge, but my legs locked up under me and slipped in the sand. Robin moved in front of me, attempting to shield me.

But then someone else shielded _both_ of us, shrugging off the fire spell with an ease that surprised me. After all, it was Frederick, and Great Knights weren't exactly known for their ability to shrug off magic attacks like Paladins.

"You…!" one of the Grimleal hissed. Their eyes flashed in anger, and their fellows, all looking like lovely copies of each other, snarled in almost perfect unison. "What do you think you're doing?"

"What does it look like?" Frederick asked, the picture of calm. His eyes, however, burned with quiet anger and his grip on his javelin was _very_ tight, based on his white knuckles. "I'm protecting them."

"This doesn't concern you Ylisseans! Just go back to your hiding holes as you always have!"

"I'm afraid these two are two very important members of the Shepherds, meaning that it is absolutely my concern that you're throwing magic at them." He spun his lance once, and I caught sight of a flash of blue. "So, you lot…" Frederick's eyes narrowed. "Should really pick a god and pray I miss." He threw the Javelin _hard_ , and it soared through the air, tiny silver-blue sparkles trailing off it as it cleaved straight through the spokesperson. "Ah, looks like you were a little slow."

"And now, I see an opening!" Cordelia swooped down from the damn skies and skewered another Grimleal before flying high into the skies again. The dead Grimleal dangled from her lance for a brief second before falling, right on one of their fellows. I had no idea if she did that on purpose or not. "Attacking our camp while our prince recovers, trying to hurt two of our precious friends…" she growled. Her eyes flashed with fury. "It's not a good idea to anger me, but I suppose 'good ideas' are few and far between with you."

"Is everyone going to come in now with badass boasts?" Robin asked dryly. I couldn't decide how to react, so I just kept staring. "Well, dear sister, I've a question. Why was Frederick's lance glowing? It was like the moonlight, but brighter."

"That… would be Luna," I answered. I looked up at him since he was much easier to figure out, especially right now. "Magic that isn't a magic, but one able to be learned. A bit like your Anathema and my… Vengeance." The Great Knights of Ylisse were famous for it, much like how the Heroes of Ferox had their 'Sol', and the Swordmasters of Chon'sin had their 'Astra'. "And like the Rallies, I suppose."

"Rallies?"

"A magic that isn't magic where you boost the abilities of allies around you. They're called 'Rallies' because it's like you're 'rallying' your allies to do better. There's speed and defense and strength and…" More movement and I tensed. However, it was just the other Shepherds, coming to battle once more. "Ah."

"Well, Frederick and I are going to deal with this." Robin gave me a quick hug. "Go rest."

"Huh? Wait!" I yelped and tried to snag him, but he was out of reach before long. I stood in place, legs frozen, as I watched the other Shepherds move past me. They gave me reassuring smiles, but I just wanted to grab all of them and beg them to just… run. Or leave it to Robin and me. Because… because…

"Much as we adore you being our watchful goddess, dear lady, you should fall back." Virion appeared beside me, smiling slightly. It fell when I looked up at him though, with all my worries likely written on my face for everyone to see. "Now, what's this? Are you fretting over us?"

"Well, yes!" I squeaked. "People… people who protect Robin and me from the Grimleal have a bad tendency to _die_!" My voice cracked, but this time, at least, I managed to hold the tears in. I'd seriously turned into some sort of crybaby after meeting these idiots. Though maybe it was just because I finally had things to cry _about_ … "So, yes, I'm scared!"

"Ah, ma cherie." Virion rested his hands on my shoulders and gently kissed the top of my head. "Never fear. We'll deal with these louts and have plenty of time for a tea party afterwards." He grinned as he stepped away, posing dramatically. "After all, I fight alongside these brave souls! How could there be any other outcome but victory?"

"But…"

"I know it is difficult to hold onto faith when you are so used to things falling apart. But, you must hold onto it nonetheless. You are simply too injured to fight alongside us, and anyone can see it. No doubts that's why they targeted you first."

"But…" But he was right. I knew he was right. Even if I _wasn't_ injured, I'd have to fall back because I simply wasn't armed. "I…" But I was injured, and if I tried to fight like this, I'd likely die. I… I didn't want to die. "Okay…" I hated it. I hated having to just faith. "But if you die, if any of you die, I _will_ kill you. Understand?" I made myself smile. It felt more like a grimace, but Virion smiled back like it was a real smile. "Oh, and Chrom's awake. That's why I was out of the tent in the first place. I was trying to find Robin and Lissa."

"Then I shall share this wondrous news and let that boost our morale even further!" He kissed the top of my head again and stepped back. "And upon our victory, I shall regale you with our tales of valor. Our numbers may be few, but each of us fights with the force of an army even without the deep set resolve that fires our hearts!"

"I'm counting on you all then." This time, my smile felt a little more real, and he winked before racing off, joining the battle. I watched a bit longer, still worried, but then I made myself turn away and made my way back to Chrom's tent.

It was a good thing I did. Chrom was trying to actually get out of bed.

"What are you doing?!" I yelped, lurching forward to keep him from actually standing. Through sheer force of will, he had managed to sit up and swing his legs over the side. But he was pale from the effort, panting heavily and sweating profusely. He winced with each bit of breath, and his eyes were a bit hazy as he looked up at me. "You need to rest!"

"There's… fighting…" he tried to protest. His voice was too weak, though. "I need to…" He tried to stand up, but a simple touch to his shoulder was enough to stop _that_. "I…"

"Need to rest." I nudged him gently, getting him to lie back down. "The only thing you're going to do if you head out is injure yourself further, just like me." I smiled bitterly, thinking of Virion's gentle scolding. "So, we just… need to have faith." I was so scared, though. But having to fuss over him _did_ help distract me.

"Ugh…" He groaned, but relented, settling back on the cot. "Sorry, Kes…" He paused and then sighed. "Sorry, you said you didn't like your name shortened…"

"Did I?" I couldn't remember. "When?"

"Robin shortened it, back before the weird earthquake, and you told him not to."

"You remember something from back then?" I laughed a little, stunned by his… his ridiculousness. "Well, whatever. I'll let it slide if you promise to behave and be a perfect patient." I tucked the blankets around him, and winced as I pulled a particular injury. "Ah…"

"Let me see." His hands shot out from under the blanket and looked over my arm. He frowned as his fingers brushed over the bandages. "So many… you were this badly hurt? Why didn't I notice?"

"Because you were a little too busy being unconscious and near death. I lost it after you went down and charged the rest of the Grimleal fighting us. This is the price of my recklessness." I laughed hollowly. "It's fine. Maybe. The others were afraid, but they were kind outside, so..."

"Like Panne, when she first joined?" He moved his hand to grasp mine and pulled it down to his chest, where I could feel his heartbeat. I relaxed at the steady 'thump' underneath my hand. "Like Gaius, who you should definitely talk with. He's funny. And scolds me."

"Then I'll definitely like him." I grinned and he laughed, weakly. But his smile was warm. "Go back to sleep, Chrom."

"Not while the others are fighting." He got a stubborn look on his face. "At least let me stay awake while they fight."

"...Well, I suppose we can settle on that compromise." I smiled slightly. "But, in that case." I leaned over and plucked one of the many notes still scattered on the table. "The Shepherds left you notes. I'll read them to you."

I read through them slowly, and we even made a game out of it, where Chrom had to guess who sent what. To my surprise, he got each of them right, though he had taken a while to guess some of the newer members' notes, like Panne and Gaius. Around the time we finished, Robin stumbled in, bandaged but smiling, and happily reported that the intruders were dead, and none of the Shepherds were. After _that_ , we got a steady stream of Shepherds peeking in to reassure themselves that Chrom was awake. I nodded off sometime during Virion's grandiose lecture on 'making fair maidens fret' and his even more dramatic retelling of the battle, and barely noticed Sumia returning to drape the blanket around me again.

I did notice how Chrom held my hand the entire time, though. That just… made me smile.

* * *

 _Notes on Ricken:_

 _Class - Mage; Reclass - Cavalier, Archer_

 _The son of a fallen noble family, who seeks to help his family. One of the youngest, if not the youngest, of the Shepherds_

 _His magic is weaker than Miriel's, but surprising, he's actually physically stronger than her, likely because he admires Chrom and mimics him as much as possible. He might make a good magic-knight, if he can stop growling at anyone who 'looks down on him'._

 _Animals seem to really like him. It's like a fairy tale story when he goes and forages because the animals will just all wander up._

* * *

Author's Notes: Technically, there's a funny scene with Nowi and Gregor joining up, but since I added Kestrel's temper going off, it felt more appropriate to have that off-screen (though pieces will likely show up next chapter). Since skills came up, I should probably mention a couple of Kestrel's. She has Vengeance (inherited from her father) and Miracle (inherited from her mother). Robin, ftr, has Anathema (inherited from his father) and Tomefaire (inherited from his mother). Also have minor explanations for other skills. Sumia helping Frederick catch a horse comes from their A support.

The 'Raven' mentioned here is the name of Kestrel's mother, continuing the 'bird theme' with Kestrel and Robin, and she was a Sage instead of a Sorcerer (yes, this is on purpose; Raven _left_ the Grimleal, after all; she was a former cleric who rose through the ranks in order to secure a better life for herself). Only Kestrel and Robin have inherited skills from their parents out of the first gen chars, as another nod to them being Vessels, instead of them having access to _every_ class. Red-capped robins are natives to Australia, found in the 'drier' areas, mostly scrubs and woodlands.

Next Chapter - Interlude, Sands


	16. Interlude - Sands

Interlude - Sands

* * *

 _Chrom's injury puts a definite pause in our push through Plegia. Not necessarily a bad thing, since it means that Basilio and Flavia's groups will more likely catch up prior to us starting everything, but it does mean we're on an even tighter schedule. Worse, we're burning through supplies more quickly than anticipated. At this rate, we'd barely have enough for a trip back._

 _There's no way this is going to work. But I dare not say it. Not now, when everyone is so focused on a miracle that just… was not going to happen._

* * *

Chrom slept a lot as he healed, because of how bad the injury had been. It didn't help that he tried to push himself, even as he did his best to obey Lissa and Maribelle, meaning he exhausted what little energy reserves his body built up fairly quickly. At least he remained in bed like he was supposed to.

I smoothed the blankets over Chrom, checking him for a fever. It was my morning ritual. Wake up to make breakfast, and then come bring some for Chrom. I tended to just leave it for him, though, since it was rare he was awake for it, and I fussed over him, always worried that he'd overheat or freeze. The desert had sharp temperature differences, after all, and there were many among the Shepherds who complained about it. Chrom didn't, but Chrom felt a large amount of guilt over making us stay in the same place for a few days. I doubted he'd whine about how something was too cold or hot.

The sounds of clinking reminded me that I wasn't alone. Frederick was also here, though that wasn't unusual; like me, he was up before the dawn regularly. Most days, he and I just quietly took care of Chrom before splitting off to our various duties. However, today, as I watched him boil some water and polish some silverware, I couldn't help but break the silence.

"You're like the most perfect butler," I teased. Frederick paused and gave me an almost annoyed look. "Sorry, but seriously."

"I'm a knight," he stated, sounding _almost_ whiny about it. There was even a bit of a sulk. "I just like things neat and tidy."

"Still doesn't change how you're better at it than many butlers." I grinned as he rolled his eyes. "Surely others have commented on it."

"Lady Maribelle has insisted I teach her how to be a steward so that she can teach her own servants." He sounded so thrilled by the prospect. "I am deciding how."

"The same way you train all of us Shepherds, of course." I tucked the topmost blanket more firmly around Chrom, marveling at it as I had the past couple of days. It was simple enough, but it looked beautifully handmade, and lovingly mended, though some patches were faded, hinting it had seen some years. "Be brutal drillmaster."

"You think I should?"

"Hey, if she's insisting that you teach her even though you're busy with other things, she should take it seriously!" I laughed and sat down at the table, checking that Chrom's breakfast was neatly covered. Just some things that would be good no matter when he actually woke up to eat it. "I adore her, but still."

"Tempting." Frederick laughed softly and set the silverware down, checking on the pot. "Well, since you're staying a bit, would you like a cup?"

"I would be delighted." I smiled, and glanced once again at the quilt. "Where did that blanket come from?"

"Which one?"

"The quilt. It's lovely."

"Oh, that's mine." He turned to face me again. "I've had it a long time, and it's very warm. I worried that the cold would make Prince Chrom ill on top of being injured, so I'm lending it to him."

"Really?" Somehow, I wasn't surprised. "Well, like I said, it's lovely. Did you buy it in the market?"

"My mother made it actually." He sounded very proud of the fact. "She was a brilliant seamstress, if I do say so myself. She taught me that and knitting, and many other things."

"Then she had to be skilled. That scarf you made me is amazing." I smiled slightly. "But your mother, huh? Where is she now, if you don't mind me being nosy?" I hoped she hadn't been in Ylisstol. I knew many Shepherds quietly fretted over the family left behind, but no one showed it on their faces. There just wasn't _time_ to worry.

"I don't mind. Unfortunately, though, she passed away a couple years ago. Illness." He smiled sadly, but there was a warmth to it nonetheless. "She was a single mother, but was always so strong. No matter what anyone said to her, she stood tall and held onto her purpose and dignity. She inspires me every day, even now."

"Did you become a knight to get her a better life?" Knights made some very nice paychecks. It wasn't uncommon for commoners to join up for that reason, though most just served in the regular army. It was cheaper. Becoming a knight often had lots of extra expenses.

"No, that's for another reason. There were other ways to get her a 'better' life." His smile fell slightly. "I was saved from a wolf attack when I was much younger, and it was a knight of Ylisse who saved my life. Lady Clara, actually." He went back to fixing the tea. "It stood out to me. 'I will not let death take you'. And she didn't. I wanted to be someone like that. My mother's strength encouraged me to defend others, and I wanted to do it the same way Lady Clara had saved me. As a knight."

"Huh." I wasn't sure how to react, so I just sat there awkwardly and watched him continue to make tea. "How did you afford it? Did you get a sponsorship?"

"Actually, yes." He turned and set a mug of tea in front of me. I hadn't realized he'd been making me one too. "Lady Clara had set it up. Even after she disappeared and everything went… well, everything went to hell, it was kept."

"Oh." I sipped the tea, and coughed as I scalded my tongue. "Ah…"

"Careful, it's hot." He grinned and I stuck my burning tongue out at him. "I didn't mean to ramble. I suppose I'm a bit nostalgic, and… worried."

"Why wouldn't you be?" We were trying to pull off a damn miracle, after all. "Or are you worried for a different reason than I think?"

"Slightly." He shrugged. "The last time Ylisseans were this deep in Plegia… it was during the war. Lady Clara led four different direct offensives, and the fourth was successful only through the help of traitors."

"And it ended with a city on fire, and lots of slaughtering." I knew the story well. Plegia had a public day of mourning for it, and even villages at the border took it seriously. "Though, didn't a lot of Ylisseans die that day too?"

"Yes. Lady Clara was the sole survivor of the final offensive Ylisse launched. Then she came home, and disappeared, leaving questions in her wake. That's why I'm worried. I'm worried we'll have similar prices." He shook his head. "This is not a proper topic, though. All the gloom will make us all sick." He smiled, but I noticed it was tight. He was deathly worried. "How about some stories about my lord when he was a child?"

"Well, I won't say no." I grinned, looking forward to it already. I hoped my own cheer would ease his concerns. "I'm all ears~!"

* * *

After a delightful early morning of tea and stories with Frederick, I went through my typical duties of making sure there were no arguments and that everyone was getting along reasonably well. I also checked to make sure no one was suffering from heatstroke or heat exhaustion and did a check of our inventory. Normally after that, I'd check on Robin, but this time, I got ambushed by Maribelle and whisked off for a 'morning tea party' with her, Sumia, Cordelia, and Virion. I'd thought Virion had been _joking_ about having a tea party.

"Oh, so Lissa is with Captain Chrom," Sumia murmured, sipping her tea. It was a good tea, a citrus blend that reminded me of the tea Emmeryn had served me before. "That makes sense. He's recovering well, right?"

"He is, yes," Maribelle answered. Her voice was strangely cool, or so I thought. "Though he seems insistent on making us fret ourselves grey in the process."

"Tut, tut, it seems I need to give another lecture to our fearless leader," Virion sighed, shaking his head. "It isn't proper to make beautiful ladies fret."

"I am not certain _you_ should be giving lectures in propriety."

"Once again, my lady's sharp tongue cuts me to the quick!"

"If only you stayed that way."

"Alack, alay! I fear I shall waste away from such barbs!"

"Why was I invited?" I muttered, focusing on my tea. I felt horrible out of place, and tried not to squirm in my seat. "I had things to do…"

"So did I," Cordelia mumbled. She and I were seated side-by-side, and shot me a sympathetic smile. She looked as awkward as I felt. "There were some weapons that needed repairs."

"The lances, right? I remember thinking that some of them looked off."

"Mostly the lances, yes, but we're down a few axes."

"Vaike had fun again, it seems." I sighed, and then glanced at the other three to make sure they hadn't noticed. Thankfully, they were too busy bantering to bother with us. "At least he hasn't lost any yet." I gave her a curious look. "How did you know the axes were off, though?"

"Oh, I practiced with them a bit. Nothing fancy." She shrugged. "We need to replenish our medical supplies, though."

"Yes, we're low on medicine, but we don't have anywhere to really get any."

"And Ricken in low on tomes."

"Is he?" I gave her a curious look. "You know this because…?"

"Oh, I keep track." She shrugged. "I like staying on top of things, so I check on everyone's equipment."

"Or you don't trust them to take care of it on their own." I smiled slightly as her expression blanked. "Or you're purposely overworking yourself so that you can sleep without dreaming of the screams following your back." I laughed as she continued staring. "You should be careful. I imagine there are many in the group who won't take your helpfulness as anything but meddling."

"I'll… keep that in mind." She suddenly laughed softly, giving me a look that was both bitter and respectful, pained and resigned. "No wonder he likes you."

"Huh?" Of course, I was just confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing important." She shook her head, and pointedly sipped her tea. "I don't know why I was invited. Maribelle and I argue often."

"Revenge for something?"

"That could be it, but then why did she invite you?"

"I've no clue. I kind of thought it was Virion's idea." I sighed, and took a sip of my own tea. "If I have to be resting, I'd rather be talking books or poetry."

"Oh, right, Sumia was telling me that you were her book buddy." Cordelia smiled warmly. "What poems do you like? I have a few favorites myself."

"I actually brought them, since they're small. I'll lend them to you."

"That would be wonderful!"

"Oh, you two are dreadful," Maribelle suddenly said. She frowned at Cordelia and me, while Sumia giggled and Virion looked amused. "I've been trying to get your attention."

"I'm sorry, Maribelle," I replied, feeling a little guilty. "We were just bonding over feeling a bit out of place."

"I can understand that, but adaptability is an important trait for a lady." She sighed, shaking her head. "And you, my dear, will need to adapt quickly. You'll find yourself hosting parties like this before long, I think, and the Ylissean court is not so forgiving."

It took me a second to realize what she was implying, and even then, I only figured it out because both Sumia and Cordelia winced. When I did, I… couldn't react. I just couldn't. It just felt… horribly awkward. I knew why she had said that. All of us did. But that just made it all the worse. Sumia worked on keeping her smile, and Cordelia's face had smoothed out to blank stoicism. I tried to pretend I didn't notice any of it, while my heart keened. Part of me was happy, but everything was so nebulous. It was clear everyone had expectations. But did Chrom really feel the same as I did? If he did, would he and I marry? Chrom had to think of his country as well himself. I wouldn't be a good queen. I could barely govern _myself_. How could I govern a country? I didn't know the first thing about courtly graces either. I knew politics only from afar, as a mercenary who had listened to the gossip. I… couldn't be queen. I…

But clearly some sort of reply was expected, as the awkward silence stretched longer and longer. I felt like I was about to throw up or something, which only made me realize all the more that I wouldn't be a suitable queen. If I froze up like this, in a gathering of friends, how could I…?

"Well, well, I just noticed something." Virion's light voice broke the silence, and he winked when I shot him a grateful look. "I appear to be the only male at this lovely little gathering," he declared. "However did I get so lucky?"

"I suppose it means we consider you one of the girls," I teased, unable to help it. The tension in the air eased slowly. "Hope you don't mind."

"Now, whyever should I mind being bosom buddies with such marvelous people?" He laughed, and gradually, the rest of us joined in. "But I do believe I promised you a story of how I got lost in my own castle, Kestrel." He had promised no such thing, but it was such an easy change in subject that I nodded anyway. "Well, then… which incident was the most humorous?"

"There was more than one?"

"It's a very big castle, you must understand." He grinned and launched into a story about how he managed to lock himself in his own dungeons on accident. I was half certain it was a lie, but it was entertaining, and thanks to it, the tea party continued without incident or awkwardness. Far better than feared, at least.

* * *

After the tea party, I helped Maribelle clean up as an 'apology' for not paying attention. When I was done with that, I decided to take an afternoon bath, wanting to get the sweat off of me. However, somehow, I must've gotten lost or confused as I ended up walking in on Gaius just as he was about to take off his underwear. Lovely way to have a proper first meeting.

"Sorry, I must've read the sign wrong," I explained, barely resisting the urge to sigh. Today just wasn't going to be my day. "I'll be leaving now."

"Nah, it's no worries," Gaius answered. He even grinned. "Not like it became awkward or anything, and not like you threw things at me."

"Why would I do that? It's my fault that I walked in." I frowned, not liking the implication. I'd need to have a talk with the girls. "Well, whatever. I'll leave you to your bath."

"Yeah." He paused suddenly, and his grin faded. "Er… I do want to mention that I'm normally in _much_ better shape. Just with everything, I've been stress eating." He looked strangely insistent on that. "Usually I'm a nice piece of eye candy, belly of a washboard, glutes like a-"

"You are quite handsome as you are Gaius, though if you are worried, I am sure we can arrange some extra training sessions." I sighed, shaking my head. My eyes, however, fell on the tattoo on his lower arm. "That, however, does catch my eye." I pointed to it, and he stiffened instantly. "Relax. I know what it is, and I really couldn't care less. I am… was… a mercenary. I probably did just as bad of stuff and got paid for it."

"Yeah, well…" He shrugged, eyes narrowing. "You mind not saying anything? I'll pay you."

"You don't have to pay me. I told you that I couldn't care less. That also means I don't care enough to tell anyone."

"Or care enough to be silent." He frowned. "If you're looking for ransom, I'll admit I don't have much money, but I do have a particular set of honeycakes-"

"I. Will. Not. Tell. Anyone." I said the words slowly and firmly. "I'll keep your blasted secret. I just didn't want you panicking over whether or not I saw it. You're not the only one with a dark past. Part of mine got revealed yesterday to everyone."

"Oh, yeah, those Grimleal fellows." His frown deepened, but he sighed. "We'll drop it for now." He paused and then laughed. "Well, this was a fine conversation to have while wearing my smallclothes!"

"Meh, I've a twin brother, and spent time fighting alongside people and in infirmaries. I've talked to men wearing less."

"Bet you wouldn't be so nonchalant if you saw Blue in his smallclothes~"

"Blue?" I gave him a confused look before rolling my eyes. "That is the most unimaginative nickname for Chrom." Of course, it wasn't as if I could talk, considering how 'creative' mine had been, but he hadn't been around for that, so he couldn't comment on me being hypocritical. "Whatever. Have fun." I turned around and walked out of the tent, trying to hide my blush at the mental image of Chrom in his underwear. It didn't help that I got lots of time to see him shirtless thanks to his injury. "Ugh… thanks, Gaius…" I grumbled, ducking my head. That was when I noticed something. The sign for the tent… clearly said 'Lady's Baths'. "Uh… Gaius?" I picked up the sign and batted at the tent flap to warn him I was still there. "Sign says this is the bath for the girls."

"Wait, what?" Gaius poked his head out and frowned when I showed him. "That's not the sign I saw when I walked in. I even had Frederick show me where the men's baths were, just to make sure I didn't misread anything."

"Someone switched the signs?" That was just… bizarre. "Clearly, someone has had too much time on their hands."

"Time for an investigation." He darted back inside, and the sound of clothes rustling hinted he was getting dressed quickly. "I have to clear my good name!" He popped out two seconds later, fully clothed. "Ugh… clothes feel weird."

"Why do they feel weird?" I asked, setting the sign down before picking a direction at random to walk in. "Everything alright?"

"Just Cordelia going on a laundry kick." He made a face. "Bah, she gets all up in everyone's business to run away from taking care of herself."

"I think so too. It worries me." It worried me all the more because she was Sumia's best friend. I should make a point to get her to relax, and not at a tea party. Though I wasn't sure if she'd want to be around me. "When we next get a break, I should encourage her to seek out a therapist or something. The church does things like that, right?"

"Supposedly. Most I've met only do bribes, but Blue seems to be lucky when it comes to attracting people to his cause. Maybe we'll get a genuine one." He reached into his pocket and grimaced suddenly. "Ugh… it's too hot… my candy is melting…"

"It'll freeze up again when night falls." I looked around the camp, noticing that Sully and Vaike were sparring again, despite the fact that this was probably the hottest part of the day, or close to it. "It gets cold."

"But that'll mess up the flavor!"

"Sugar is sugar to me." But, then again, I had an idea of why he was obsessed with sweets. They were expensive. Unless you were wealthy, or a skilled thief, you'd likely only manage to snag some during a festival. "Sorry."

"We need to have a proper sweet tasting so that you can appreciate the differences between them all."

"Perhaps we can do something more practical, like how to be sneaky." I was fast, but my stealthing abilities were average at best. "I went the mercenary route instead of the thief route when funds ran low."

"Knowing the wonders of sugar is important." His eyes sharpened slightly and he pointed to where I could see Frederick scolding Lissa. The 'Men's Baths' sign was in his hands, and Lissa looked very contrite. "Well, what's that over here?"

"I think we found our prankster." I sighed heavily, thinking of how that really should've been my first guess. I'd forgotten, since I'd told her to never pull a prank on me, but Robin was a favored victim. "Shall we join in with the lecture or just leave it?"

"Leave it." He laughed, clearly amused now by all of it. "We were just wondering, right? How about you and I go get food and leave them be?"

"Yeah, sure, that's good." I shrugged, and turned away, heading for the mess tent. "I hope no one has guzzled the water again. I don't want to hunt down more."

"Here's hoping, Falcon. Here's hoping."

I chose not to comment on the nickname, and instead, asked him if he'd traveled. He responded by telling me about different cities in Ylisse, with delightful stories about the people, the sweets they ate, and what sort of things they gossiped about. It ended up being a delightful lunch, actually.

* * *

Late that afternoon, Chrom was cleared to actually get up and walk around. Robin and I volunteered to be his crutches, and so, we helped Chrom slowly patrol the edges of the camp. He tired frequently, no thanks to the heat, but he stubbornly kept insisting on continuing, so Robin and I helped him walk.

"Chrom, I swear, if you strain yourself, I'll hurt you," Robin grumbled. He took most of Chrom's weight as Chrom staggered again. "Seriously. As a tactician, I'll hurt you."

"Go on; keep scolding," Chrom joked, grinning weakly. His eyes danced, though. "It's preferable to the constant apologies."

"I'll apologize for kicking your ass if you overdo it." Robin sighed and gave me a beseeching look. "Make him behave."

"And how do you propose I do that, master tactician?" I retorted. I kept a step back, mostly because I knew how much Robin wanted to help Chrom. He still felt horrible guilt over it all. "Come up with a strategy."

"Why must my twin be so cruel to me?" Robin instantly complained, groaning. Chrom only snickered. "Is it a sister thing? Is it a younger sister thing? Help me out here, Chrom."

"Why are you asking me?" Chrom laughed. His bright smile did wonders to soothe both Robin and me. He really was recovering. "I don't know!"

"You have sisters!"

"Maybe it's a twin thing!"

"Boys, calm down," I chided, shaking my head. I had to fight to keep the grin off my face. "You…" I trailed off as I noticed something odd. Not far away, there was a woman dragging something towards our camp. Her clothes, however, marked her as Plegian. "Who's that?" I pointed to the woman when Robin and Chrom gave me weird looks. "Her. I don't recognize her."

"...Oh, great, did something actually happen?" Robin sighed. He shifted, slinging Chrom's arm over his shoulder. "Come on. Unfortunately, we do need to look into that."

Slowly and cautiously, the three of us made our way towards the girl. She seemed to notice us and stopped, watching us closely. But as we got closer, I noticed she was smiling, and it… it was actually a genuine smile, with dimples and shining eyes.

"Hi, my name is Melaina," she introduced, bowing to us. She gestured to her burden, which was a blanket, and let one corner fall so that we could see what was inside. "The folks in my village thought you guys might be running low on medicine since you were holed up here for a while. So, here, have some!"

"Are you serious?" I asked, startled. She was right in that we were low, and when I crouched down to look at the medicines, I realized that unless they were very clever poisons, they were actual medicine. I recognized most of them. "This is quite the gift."

"Not really. Our village specializes in medicine making." She shrugged, still smiling. Chrom leaned away from Robin to stand on his own, and Robin dropped a hand to his pocket, where he had his tome. "This is just some extras."

"Still, though, it is appreciated." I glanced up at her, trying to figure out if she was tricking us. But I didn't find anything but simple honesty. "It's very appreciated, actually."

"I'm glad." She giggled. "You guys did a good job with the hiding, but some of our herb gatherers have to come out this far, and noticed you."

"Damn, I had thought we were far enough away from villages," Chrom murmured. He frowned a bit, glancing at his arm. He was wearing a sleeveless shirt, something thrown on to cover the bandages, and his Brand was easy for anyone to see. "...Forgive me, but you have to know who I am." His voice remained even, though. "I'm not… well, I'm not taking steps to hide it."

"Nope, you're not," she agreed. "You are Crown Prince Chrom of Ylisse, heir to Exalt Emmeryn, only son of Exalt Adair, and the current wielder of the Falchion." She rattled it off with ease, and with each word, her cheer faded to become stone-cold serious. "I take it these are your Shepherds. We've heard of you."

"Then why?" He shook his head. "Not to sound ungrateful. I'm just… very confused." He paused, eyes widening. "Wait, is it a… custom thing? Culture? I… sorry, I'm just not sure why, and I'd like to know."

"..." Her face softened with a smile before she laughed. "Well, you're more adorable than I anticipated." She laughed a little more before letting the sound die, but the smile remained. "Prince Chrom, I remember the war. King Gangrel can whip people into a frenzy over the past, but my wounds have already scarred." She pointed to the scar over her eye for emphasis. "There are Plegians who long for war and revenge, but there are many, like myself, who are tired of watching good people die for someone's stupid ideals. King Gangrel pursues an ideal of revenge. I wish someone would remind him that we live in a world of reality, not ideals."

"That doesn't mean going out of your way to help us, though. You can simply…"

"Watch you go by? Yes, I could. I imagine many have done the same. Based on how you're acting here, I can see that you move quickly and quietly, doing your best to avoid a conflict." She shrugged again. "Far different than the last time an army invaded. You're trying to be efficient. In and out, minimal casualties. You just want to save your Exalt, your sister, and you're careful to not bring harm to others."

"I… try." Chrom fell silent for a bit. "So, why do you come to help us directly? Forgive me for being stubborn. If you would rather not answer, I don't mind."

"Curiosity killed the cat."

"Satisfaction brought it back."

"And curiosity killed off the rest of its nine lives."

"Well, thank goodness I'm not a cat." Chrom flashed a grin before pointing to Robin and me. I continued peering at the medicines; Robin watched over everything calmly, one hand still on his tome. "These two would also kill me if I died."

"Well, aren't you lucky?" She laughed again, before nodding. "Well, the answer is simple. I, and my village, chose to help you directly because of the Holy Swordsman."

"The Holy…" Chrom's eyes widened. "Clara?"

"Yes, her. She wanders around, sometimes, and takes care of bandits for us." She spoke lightly, and each word made Chrom's eyes widen further. I couldn't blame him; it didn't escape me that she used present tense to refer to her. "Other villages too. Our knight in tarnished armor, who does more for us than our king in his revenge." She smiled wryly. "Went a long way to remind us that there was more to the previous war than any of us would ever admit. The Holy Swordsman, the Demon of Blades, the Reaper of War…" Chrom flinched at each title, and my jaw dropped as I realized they all referred to the same woman. I'd always assumed they were three different people. "She tended to the children so gently when they were lost in the sands. She cut down the bandits without mercy, and held their victims as they sobbed. We like her. We respect her. And, because of her, we remember that Ylisse is filled with people too, just like Plegia. You seem like her, in how careful you are. So, we don't mind helping. King Gangrel's war is only going to get a lot of us killed, after all."

"...Thank you…" Chrom whispered the words, and, when he smiled, he looked ready to cry. "I appreciate it."

"Just continue being you, Prince Chrom, and when this war ends, remember that there are people here too." She laughed and turned, waving over her shoulder. "I'd better return, though. I've my own chores to finish."

"Safe travels to you." Chrom hesitated and then looked to Robin. "We were attacked twice yesterday. Can you…?"

"If she does not mind," Robin replied. He smiled when Melaina gave us a curious look. "We were attacked by Grimleal. While you made it here safely, we're worried. Would you mind an escort?"

"...Sure, why not?" she replied after a moment. She laughed again, smiling. "It's not far, but it is out of sight."

"Then let us go. I'm sure one of our fliers will follow, but I promise it's just them being paranoid." Robin grinned and walked over to her, easily falling in step as she continued on. "Can you tell me a bit more about Plegia, though? I try to read, but there's only so much you can learn in books…" Robin's happy questions, and Melaina's easy answers slowly disappeared in the distance. Chrom and I watched them leave, and watched Cordelia, who must've been on an aerial patrol, subtly head after them, in silence. The whole talk was… odd. Odd and refreshing. It was nice to see someone who didn't want to kill us, even if it was unexpected.

"...Clara's alive," Chrom whispered after a moment. He laughed, and it sounded both relieved and hollow. "I don't know what to feel about that." The gentle murmuring of the camp behind us hinted that everyone was going back to their tasks. "I'm glad, but I also wonder why she didn't come back. I'm happy, but I also wonder why she's not saving Emm right now."

"Well, I can't answer the first, but perhaps she's not near for the second," I pointed out. I shrugged when he looked at me. "But, hey, she's alive, and she's helping people. She's showing Plegians that there is some good in Ylisse still. In her own way, it seems like she was helping Emmeryn."

"True." He sighed, looking up at the cloudless sky. "...After we save Emm…" He trailed off, clearly thinking of what to say. "After that, I have something I'd like to tell you."

"You do?" I gave him a confused look, even though he wasn't looking at me. "What is it? Why not tell me now?"

"Well, I'd like to focus on saving my sister." He glanced over his shoulder to smile warmly at me. "And, well, I'd like to also talk to her about it. Advice. Frederick gave me some, but I want to hear her words too."

"Okay?" I felt a little breathless, my pulse thundering in my chest. "That seems… odd to me, but I'll wait. _If_ you promise to remain a good patient, and go rest."

"Yes, yes." He laughed, smile widening. "I can take the hint. I'll head back to my tent."

"Very good." I glanced at the medicines, and made a split-second decision. "I'll go tell Maribelle about the medicine. If you're not back at your tent by the time I'm done, then you'll get a scolding."

"A fate worse than death."

"From Frederick."

"A _really_ worse fate than death." He made a face and I laughed. "Fine, fine. I'm going; I'm going."

"Good." On impulse, I leaned up and kissed his cheek. "For being polite." And then I ran off, barely avoiding tripping over my own feet, worried about his reaction even as my face heated up.

I shouldn't have done that. I really shouldn't have done that. Ah, the next few days were going to be so, so awkward…!

* * *

After dinner, I invited Cordelia to my tent to read through some poetry. I invited Sumia too, but she had first watch, so she declined. Robin ended up crashing on some of my pillows, curled up asleep, as Cordelia and I flipped through poems, dramatically reading some aloud. It became a game over who would burst into giggles first, and it ended in a tie. Both of us couldn't keep a straight face for long.

"Poems are infinitely funnier when you're reading them melodramatically," Cordelia managed through her laughter. Tears actually gathered in the corners of her eyes. "Oh, goodness…"

"It doesn't help that we're purposely mispronouncing some of the words to make them rhyme," I pointed out. My stomach hurt from how much I'd been laughing, and I had to check on Robin to make sure we hadn't woken him up. "But it's a good poem."

"It is. I love it." Her laughter faded to giggles, and then, amusingly enough, hiccups. "Oh no!"

"Hold your breath!" I snickered, unable to help it. Both of us were red in the face, and hers turned redder from embarrassment as she held her breath to try and cure her hiccups. It took a few tries before it worked. "There we go!"

"Ah…" She sighed mournfully, but smiled. "I haven't laughed like that in a while. Everything has been…"

"Hell. War is worse than hell." I shrugged and flopped back on my pillows. "I figured you could use a night off."

"I did. Thank you." She smiled warmly, but a bit awkwardly, like she wasn't used to smiling. "I appreciate it."

"It's fine. Besides, I'm having fun too." I grinned at her, but it faltered when I noticed she was looking at me closely. "Something up?"

"No, it's nothing." She shook her head. "Just, again, I was thinking it was no wonder he likes you."

"You said that before." But this time, I had a feeling of who the 'he' was. My face heated up at the implication, and my heart ached at the pain I saw in her eyes. "...Well, since you brought the topic up, mind if I ask a question? You don't have to answer if you don't want."

"Certainly." She picked up another pillow and tucked it against her chest. "What is it?"

"Why did you 'give up'? Sumia told me that you had."

"She would. She had encouraged me to try for it, even though she loves him too." Cordelia sighed, and hid half her face in the pillow, muffling her voice. "Well, part of it is simple. We don't live in a fairy tale. The girl from the slums doesn't magically marry the prince charming just because she likes him."

"Slums?"

"Yeah, I'm from the slums of Ylisstol, poor as Vaike. Actually poorer, I was an orphan." She hid a little more behind the pillow. "Every day, I had to struggle to survive. I lived for the days Exalt Emmeryn would step out to greet us, often with Prince Chrom at her side. They were all… sparkling and bright, and whenever they passed by, it felt like the sun had finally come in. But then they'd disappear, and I was back to doing what I had to. I'm a poor runner, sadly, so I was never good at stealing. I worked on strengthening my body, though, thinking that I could become a mercenary to escape. I did… a lot of bad things…" She lifted her head slightly, though, and smiled. "One day, though, this strange little girl wandered into the slums, the pretty daughter of a Viscount. Some of the other kids tried to beat her up and steal from her, but I intervened. I grabbed a broken broom pole and whacked them with it, chasing them away, before leading the girl back to the 'proper' part of town."

"That was Sumia, wasn't it?" I smiled, easily imagining the encounter. "Sounds like her."

"It was. She thanked me profusely, and insisted on dragging me to her parents. I was so embarrassed, since I was _covered_ in filth, but she took my hand without disgust, and her parents smiled so warmly at me. Captain Phila was with them at the time, discussing some sort of security thing, and when Sumia told everyone about how I'd saved her, she offered me sponsorship into the pegasus knights. After a moment of staring at her like an idiot, I took the offer, and so, made it out of the slums."

"I see." My smile warmed as she glanced at me hesitantly. "Sounds cool. I thought you had to do a test to get sponsorship."

"Normally, yes, but Captain Phila is high enough ranked to overrule that, and she said she thought I had the potential. And…" She smiled slightly. "She said I reminded her of her sister, so she was sure I'd do great." She paused awkwardly. "Though she was also quick to add that she'd hoped I would have a happier fate."

"What happened?"

"She died during the war. Phila became a pegasus knight in her memory." Cordelia laughed. "Wow, all of that rambling just to explain that I gave up because I wouldn't be accepted. Of course, me giving up so easily was probably a sign that my feelings weren't all that strong to begin with, no matter how much they linger. But I think they linger because of the other reason."

"What's the other reason?"

"I love the idea of Prince Chrom more than I love him, I think." She straightened up, though she still hugged the pillow to her chest. "I love the idea of a Prince Charming, a prince who goes out and does stuff. I love the light he brings to the world. But I know next to nothing about him as a person. I spent all my time studying and working hard, hoping to live up to expectations. My only friend was Sumia, who would tell me _about_ him, and I would listen to the gossips, who would tell me how he was viewed. But I don't know him. I just know the image I've built up in my head. That's… well, I won't say it's not a 'real' love, but it's not one to pursue a relationship with."

"...That's way more mature than I was expecting." I grinned as she actually squeaked and pouted. "Sorry, but it was."

"I've had a lot of time to myself to think. It means I come up with stupidly complex answers to simple things." She sounded so huffy, and continued to pout. "Regardless, though, that's why. And no telling anyone. I've only recently pieced it all together and need to tell Sumia."

"Yeah, sure, no worries." I giggled, making her pout further, but my cheer faded as I thought about her first reason. "I imagine the courts wouldn't accept someone like me either…"

"Courts might not. But the Shepherds will, and the Shepherds is filled with a lot of influential people." She smiled encouragingly at me, even though her eyes were pained. "You'll have to fight for it. But you… I think you can do it. Given everything I've heard about you, from everyone, I think you'd make a good queen."

I was saved from answering by a loud gasp, followed by Robin shooting up, panting heavily with wide eyes. I lunged over to his side, hugging him tightly, while Cordelia peered worriedly at us both. Robin leaned into me, trembling as he clutched my arm. I kissed the top of his head, and rocked him slowly, doing my best to radiate comfort while he dragged himself out the last bits of whatever nightmare he'd had.

After a long moment, he took a shuddering breath and pulled out of my hug, looking at me seriously. "Kestrel, are you _certain_ I don't have the ability to see the future?" he asked me, desperately. His hand clenched into a fist. "Absolutely?"

"Yes, you don't have it," I replied. I focused on keeping absolutely _calm_. "I'm sure."

"And a…" He visibly groped for words. "An… an ability to see things happening in present times, but not…?"

"Scrying?" I gave him a weird look when he nodded. "No. You only have your Insight. Why ask?"

"...Just a bad dream." Robin sighed and flopped back on the pillows. "Just a bad dream."

"I know a good tea for that," Cordelia stated, already leaping to her feet. "Hold on. I'll get some made for you." She was out of the tent without even waiting for an answer.

So, instead, I scooted closer to Robin and ran my hands through his hair. "You're just nervous," I whispered. I hoped it soothed him. "There's a lot riding on you."

"I know," he mumbled. He curled more into himself. "I won't fail, though. I can't. I'll save Emmeryn for Chrom. I'll keep us all safe. I can't fail. I won't fail."

"Robin…" I didn't know what to say. So, I just kept running my hands through his hair. "I love you."

"I love you too." He breathed in deeply and let it out slowly, relaxing with the exhale. "That tea sounds nice, though."

"Cordelia will be back before long. Make sure to thank her."

"I will." He closed his eyes. "Thank you, too, sister. For staying with me, even though everything is all messed up."

"You can't get rid of me if you tried." I smiled slightly. "Why not just stay over in my tent tonight? You're already comfy."

"Okay." He sighed. "Sounds good." We stayed like that until Cordelia returned with three mugs of tea. Then we worked on having a polite, but happy, conversation until the tea was gone and we all went to bed. But as I tried to go to sleep, a dark cloud hung over me, worries of what was to come.

Emmeryn's fate would be decided soon. And I was very scared of what destiny had planned for her.

* * *

 _Notes on Panne:_

 _Class - ; Reclass - Thief, Wyvern Rider_

 _One of the few survivors of the Taguel after decades of genocide, noble yet aloof_

 _An excellent frontline fighter, with a strength, agility, and senses that surpass humans. However, her Beaststone is capable of breaking if overused, and are rare, so she has to be careful to time it well. Surprisingly reckless._

 _Because she is Taguel, and hasn't been around humans much, she is ignorant to human customs, resulting in amusing instances. Poor Stahl almost fainted from embarrassment when she licked his face to clean off a dangerous-to-human fruit._

* * *

Author's notes: So, there are a lot of random tidbits here that tie in to _Shadows of the Exalt_ , including bits about Frederick's mother and Phila's sister, neither of which are mentioned in canon (for good reason in Phila's case; Phila likely doesn't have a sister in canon). Cordelia being from the slums isn't mentioned at all (in fact, there's nothing for Cordelia's background at all), but I'm having her be from there to further contrast Sumia (the daughter of a Viscount) and to add another dimension to why she's so certain her feelings would be unrequited _and_ why she's so perfectionistic. Also have some local Plegians who don't instantly want to kill the party, who are few and far between in game. Robin's implied nightmare is the same one from in-game, which shows in the 'prior to preparations' scenes in Chapter Nine.

Gaius and Kestrel's conversation references the C support between Gaius and a Female!Avatar. Sully and Vaike sparring is a reference to their supports, mostly their B and A. Panne licking Stahl's face is a reference to their A support. Frederick and Maribelle's supports deal with him teaching her how to be a steward at her insistence. Cordelia and Gaius's supports are about her scolding him for cleanliness.

Next Chapter - Emmeryn


	17. Chapter 9) Emmeryn

Chapter 9) Emmeryn

* * *

 _Chrom's injury finally heals, and we make our way towards our destination: Castle Plegia, where Emmeryn is said to be. Flavia and Basilio catch up with us along the way, and they spend a lot of time with Chrom and Robin, focusing on the crazy plan to save Emmeryn, and the others captured at Ylisstol._

 _I focus on helping Frederick keep the army running smoothly. There wasn't really much else I could do, at this point._

* * *

"So, apparently, you four haven't eaten since lunch yesterday." I gave Chrom, Robin, Flavia, and Basilio my most unamused look as I stepped into the 'War Council Tent' where all four of them blinked at me slowly. "You didn't even sleep, did you?" I scolded, purposely setting the tray of food on their map in the center of the table they were all learning over. "And… gods above, you guys haven't cleaned in here either!" The entire tent was filled with discarded papers, pens, and waterskins. "Honestly, everyone… I fail to see how any plan you make will work if the four of you are too damned tired and hungry to do anything."

"Oh, we're fine, little miss," Basilio replied, waving off my lecture. I fixed him with my sternest stare, and had the pleasure of watching him squirm in his seat. "We… uh… know our limits?"

"You and Flavia might, Basilio, thanks to your extensive experience, but I can guarantee you that Chrom, who tried to practice drills while he still had a hole in his chest, and Robin, who only really has the experience of a few months thanks to amnesia, do not." I frowned, and turned my stare to the two of them. They squirmed as well. "Speaking of which. Chrom, you missed your checkup with Lissa, and she's _most_ vexed with both you and Robin. Expect pranks."

"...War and Death, any reason we don't just send _her_ at Gangrel?" Basilio slumped in his chair, grumbling. "One minute is all she'd need."

"Unfortunately, Gangrel will likely gut me before that minute, so you best continue with whatever plan you have." I moved the bowls of soup closer to the four of them, as well as spoons, and poured them some mugs of mint tea. "I'm certain it runs off of audacity and 'no one is stupid enough to do this', whatever it is."

"You know your brother well," Flavia laughed. She gave me a thankful smile and tucked into her soup with a gusto. "Oh, this is a green soup, isn't it? Feroxi?"

"It is," I confirmed, smiling slightly. "We had an excess in spinach that was about to go bad, as well as leeks, so I made some. I didn't have any nutmeg, though."

"You made this?" Flavia's eyes sparkled before they narrowed on Chrom. "This isn't fair. One sibling is the best damn tactician I've ever seen, and the other cooks amazing Feroxi soups! Share, damn it!"

"You're getting some now," Chrom cheekily pointed out with a giant grin. Flavia simply groaned. "Though, this soup really is good, Kestrel."

"It's super delicious," Robin added. He frowned when I gave him a weird look. "Did I… not compliment you on your food before losing my memories?" His frown deepened when I shook my head. "I guess I was used to the amazingness."

"That's right! You used to get this all the time!" Basilio laughed. He also dug in, and I smiled, gladdened that they liked it. I'd been a bit worried, since it had been a while since I'd made this soup, and Flavia and Basilio _were_ Feroxi. "Beautiful lady making amazing food for you always! You've a devil's luck there!"

"...You remember she's my twin sister, right?" Robin's eyes narrowed. "Right?"

"Doesn't mean you're not lucky. Just, you know, not _as_ lucky as, say, Chrom here!" Basilio laughed again, and Chrom actually choked on his soup. Robin thumped him on the back to help clear the resulting cough. "What do you think, Flavia?"

"I think Chrom needs to make sure I don't steal them away," Flavia instantly retorted. She sipped her tea, and I was startled to see she'd already devoured all her soup! "I'd love a good tactician, and I'm always up for adding a talented female warrior to my army. Especially a former mercenary, like myself."

"Oh, brother, are you planning on adopting her?"

"Maybe. She's adorable. Both of them are." Flavia's eyes sparkled again. "Hmm…"

"Uh oh." Basilio gave us a deadly serious look. "Kestrel, Robin, hide."

"Khan Flavia, no matter what you scheme, my sister and I have no intentions of leaving Chrom and Ylisse, especially given these trying times," Robin firmly declared. He smiled warmly, and I noted with amusement how Chrom blushed a bright red. "Speaking of which…"

"Don't talk tactics over your food," I scolded, gently bopping him on the head. He made a face anyway. "You'll give yourself indigestion."

"But…" He sighed as I leveled a stern look on him again. "Can we at least get Basilio's information? He got a spy report?"

"Oh, fine." I rolled my eyes, and refilled Flavia's tea. "Basilio?"

"It's not much," Basilio instantly warned. He ate a little more of his soup before continuing. "Mostly, it's a confirmation of what we know. Exalt Emmeryn will be executed tomorrow, on the marrow."

"The marrow?" Chrom repeated with a frown. He sipped his own tea, his bowl empty. "The hell does that mean?"

"Not sure. We'll find out tomorrow."

"They mean that she'll be executed on Grima's bones," I answered, feeling unsettled. I didn't like being so close to Grima's corpse. "It'll make more sense when you see them, but it means she'll be executed on Grima's bones. Based on location, I'd guess the ribs." I squirmed as they continued staring at me. "Listen to your history stories. Grima was _huge_ , okay?"

"Surely not _that_ big, right?" Robin asked. His jaw dropped when I nodded. "He was?" I nodded again. "Oh, holy shit, how the hell did they kill him in the past?"

"Well, things tend to die when you stab them enough times, no matter how big they are." I made myself smile. "But really, the new information is that you have a location, so to speak."

"True," Chrom confirmed. He grinned at Robin. "So far, you've been perfectly correct, Robin."

"Yes, but tomorrow will be the true test," Robin replied softly. He nursed his own mint tea. All of them were done eating. "We can't be careless…"

"Oh, stop with the false modesty," Flavia complained. She rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Chin up. Your thinking got us this far. Your plan is risky, but not overly so, considering what we're accomplishing. The danger is great, but the prize is well worth it."

"She's right, Robin," Chrom added. He slung an arm around Robin's shoulders. "We'll get through this, and we'll be trading stories with Emm by this time tomorrow. Or, well, getting lectured for recklessness. I'm sure she's got a bunch to yell at us for."

"Speaking of things to yell at you for…" I began, using that as a lead-in. "Lissa? Robin, you may go with him." I paused, thinking rapidly. "Actually, no, Flavia, go with _both_ of them. I don't trust either of them right now."

Chrom and Robin tried to complain, but Flavia's laughter drowned them out as she escorted them to the healers. I set about cleaning up the plates, balancing them on the tray, and Basilio, surprisingly, helped me with it. But as he did, I noticed the serious look on his face, and realized he still had more to say.

"I've word from Olivia," he whispered to me. He didn't look up from cleaning at all. "Thanks to her connections with various traveling troupes, she's secured us a bunch of carriages and will wait for us in the ravines near Midmire."

"...An escape route," I summarized. I set the last of the mugs on the tray and looked at him. "You don't think this will work."

"Oh, no, I think it will. I also hope it will. But you don't get to be my age in Ferox without coming up with backup plans. I've a bad feeling Robin hasn't learned that part yet." He laughed, but it sounded hollow compared to his normal ones. "It's one thing to stand your ground when it's just your life on the line. If that was the case, I wouldn't bother. But we've got a lot of people depending on us. I make the plans."

"Right…" I made myself smile. "Thank you, Basilio. You'll forgive me for hoping we won't need it, right?"

"Of course. I'm hoping the same, and so is Olivia." He grinned, and this time, his laugh sounded normal. "The soup was fantastic."

"I'm glad." I just hoped it wouldn't be everyone's last meal. "I'll get these back to the kitchens."

Tomorrow, the operation's success or failure was decided. I didn't much like this calm before the storm.

* * *

"There are a lot of people here to see Exalt Emmeryn die," Gaius mumbled. He and I were hiding in the crowd, hoods of our cloaks up, waiting for the signal from Robin to begin the operation. "Holy _shit_ , there are a lot of people. Pickpockets must be making a killing today."

"Provided that they're not watching the 'show' themselves," I muttered. I winced as someone jostled me, and I looked up, trying to see what I could above people's heads. From here, I saw a stage that Gangrel likely was going to stand on, and, if I looked _much_ higher, I could see Emmeryn. She was on the highest rib of Grima, knelt with her hands clasped together, all alone. It was hard to see her expression or anything from here. "They might let people go."

"Gods, this is messed up. What's with these dragon bones again?"

"Grima." I felt almost lightheaded, being so close. "The bones are literally Grima's body."

"...How freaking huge was this thing?"

"Clearly, large enough that a human can stand on one of its ribs comfortably." I laughed hollowly. "They say that the First Exalt was smaller than one of its eyes, you know."

" _One_ of its eyes?"

"It's called the damned Fell Dragon. What's creepier than multiple eyes?" There was a commotion starting from the front, and I tensed. "Gangrel's here."

"Well, Falcon, we'd better get ready." He tensed too, shaking slightly. So much of this required good timing. If the timing was off, even a little… "Oh, hell, he's a damn clown, isn't he?"

"Don't take it for stupidity. That's what got Emmeryn _in_ this mess."

"Point."

"Good people of Plegia!" Gangrel boomed as he stepped out on the stage, waving his arms to make sure he was seen. The crowd cheered his arrival and then quieted instantly, shifting eagerly. "Welcome! Welcome, one and all, to this delightful occasion!" He gestured grandly to where Emmeryn knelt, and the crowd hissed in seething hatred. "Yes, I know. Look upon her, the witch-queen of Ylisse! Successor to her murderous father, inheritor of his self-righteousness! Look upon her, and see how small and useless she really is!"

The crowd booed and jeered in cacophonous unison. A few brave souls even tried to throw things at her, but they fell almost hilariously short. Gaius and I remained tense, hoping no one would notice we weren't among the insulters.

"Ah, your anticipation electrifies the air!" Gangrel slowly paced his stage, looking on everyone with a slow, eager smile. The effect made it seem like he was locking eyes with everyone. "Yes, we _all_ remember Ylisse's crimes! We remember how their soldiers ravaged our homes, raped and slaughtered our people! We remember how they torched our capital, and massacred all in their path. We remember how their 'Holy Swordsman', the Demon of Blades, the Reaper of War, Death's Bride… We remember how she purged our fair city, and butchered our royal family, right down to the babes in arms!" He stopped in the middle of the stage and threw his arms up and out. "Shall we have the witch-queen answer for those crimes at last? Here? Now? Today?"

The crowd's roar of approval nearly deafened me, and actually made the loose stones on the ground rattle. The roar soon united into a single, fury filled chant: 'Kill her! Kill her! KILL HER! KILL HER!' Louder and louder, it grew, and the people punched the air in time with the words, stomping their feet to add more force to the words. 'KILL HER! KILL HER! KILL HER!'

"YEEEEESSS….!" Gangrel laughed, clenching his outstretched hands into fists, grinning like a madman. His eyes lit up, like this was simply a show. "Yes! We shall finally have our justice! We shall finally put our people's ghosts to rest! Today, we burn out the infection _once and for all_!" He whirled to look towards where Emmeryn was, cape whipping about with the force. "Executioner!" A burly looking fighter stepped up behind Emmeryn then, axe already raised. "Bring down your axe and free our people at last!"

Gaius and I stiffened, hands falling for our swords. The crowd held its breath in anticipation as the executioner stepped a little closer… axe going a little higher… Emmeryn bowing her head, still in prayer… sunlight shining right on her, lighting up her golden hair…

"Flavia!" Robin's sharp call pierced through the tension, freezing everything. "If you will?"

"On it!" Flavia replied. I couldn't see her, but I knew she was either perfectly focused or smirking. Or both. "HAAAH!" A handaxe flew gracefully over everyone's heads and hit the executioner square in the face, sending them flying off the rib.

I had no idea if the sudden silence was because of the attack itself, or the sheer knowledge that Flavia was strong enough to _snipe_ a person, half-hidden by a hostage, with a handaxe. I knew she was riding with Sumia so that she didn't have to throw it _up_ , just over, but still. That was some _distance_!

"Please, get to safety!" I called, pushing the people closest to me towards some nearby buildings. They looked at me in shock. "I know; you hate me. But that doesn't mean _we_ want you dead!" I continued pushing them to relative safety. "Come on! Move!"

"...You're making a distinction between soldier and civilian?" one asked. An older woman, one who might've been my age during the last war, who looked dubious. "Ylisse does that now?"

"You're not the same person you were fifteen years ago, right? Is it so shocking that others change as well?" I made a point to get her behind a defensive wall, and nudged some shaking children at her. "We're sorry we have to launch the attack now, but this is the only chance we have to save Emmeryn. So, Gaius and I are trying to get all those who don't want to fight to safety, on Chrom's orders."

"...Prince Chrom… wants to make sure civilians aren't caught up." She scoffed, but there was a slight smile to her face. "Well, where the hell did he get those sorts of morals?"

"Emmeryn. Emmeryn, and a desire to not repeat his father's mistakes." I reached into my pack and pulled out a little sweet, courtesy of Gaius, to pass to the scared children. "Here. You may check it, of course. I'd be surprised if you didn't. But, we thought the children might be easier to keep calm if they had some sugar to occupy them."

"...You're Plegian. I can tell by your eyes." Her own eyes narrowed. "But… you're with Ylisse."

"Well, I'm sure as hell am not with Gangrel, considering what he allows. I don't see why you all freak out over Ylisse's crimes, and then go about doing the same thing to them. You can call it 'justice', but honestly, isn't 'justice' supposed to make you feel better?" I shook my head, deciding that I'd rambled too much. Now wasn't the time for philosophical discussion. "Stay here, and seriously, don't move. It'll be easier to make sure you're not caught in the crossfire if you're in one place."

I moved away from her and continued working with Gaius to get people to safer parts of the area. Thankfully, no one else tried to make any snarky comments, probably because the sounds of battle started clanging through the air and made them far more glad that _someone_ was taking charge. A few gave me weird looks, but I ignored them, continuing to clear out the area.

That is, until one, a little kid, snagged my sleeve. "Miss, you're helping the lady up there, right?" they asked. I hesitantly nodded. "Grandmama doesn't like her for some reason, but she looks nice. So… uh…" They pointed up, and I noticed that another person was making their way towards Emmeryn. "You… need to hurry?"

"Thank you," I whispered. I bent down to kiss the top of their head, smiling as they giggled. "Get to safety quickly, okay?" I nudged them towards the crowd. "And… keep your eyes closed."

"So that I don't see scary things?" They nodded. "Okay." They smiled and darted into the crowd. I watched them briefly, making sure they didn't get trampled, before running for the nearby building. Plegia's buildings were old, _very_ old, and most were actually designed to be climbed, to make it easier to actually get onto the bones of Grima for formal ceremonies. Even with that knowledge, it still took me a bit to figure out a path up, and my arms ached from the climb. A couple of times, I had to jump from one ledge to another, and one heart-stopping time, I actually slipped, barely catching myself. My gloves ripped a bit as I struggled to keep myself from falling, and I made the mistake of looking _down_ , realizing just how high I really was. Everyone looked comically small, like little miniatures, and it was all too easy to realize how _bad_ a fall from here would be. If the impact didn't kill you instantly, you'd wished it had.

I made myself look back up, focusing on the climb, and I made it, slowly, onto the 'rib'. As I found my footing, though, I realized the person 'going for Emmeryn' wasn't actually going after her. Aversa simply stood there, between Emmeryn and me, holding a dark magic tome and smirking.

"Ah, pretty little princess…" she purred, smiling slowly. I realized with horror that she'd _baited_ me. Somehow, she'd known I was down there, and she'd known I'd climb up here if there appeared to be a threat to Emmeryn. "It is my greatest pleasure to see you've returned home."

"This isn't home," I whispered. I unsheathed my sword, even though I knew she'd have a _huge_ advantage in this fight, and not just because I knew she… was stronger. She was also a magic user, meaning she had less of a chance of falling off. I, as a sword user… "Oh, fuck you." She not only baited me, but she also set me up for failure.

"Now, darling, if you really want to, you need only to ask politely~" She brought her hand up and her tome glowed. "But first… I think someone else holds claim first…"

She blasted me with magic before I could do a damn thing. I ducked under and opened my mouth to neutralize her magic, only to get hit with another blast, one that made my vision blacken briefly and nearly sent me flying off the damn rib. My sword went flying, flipping end over end before disappearing below. I scraped up my shoulder badly and as I struggled to stand, I got hit again. I tried to figure out how she cast so quickly, before I remembered her extensive tattoos. Made with the same ink tomes were written in, they shortened casting times in exchange for pain. Knowing my father as I did, it was entirely possible he cursed her to dull her sense of pain.

That said, there was a _lot_ of power for this, and the casting was faster than I'd ever seen. I wondered if she was Shadowgifted, like Mom. It would certainly explain why my father would take her in.

"You know… I expected more of a fight," Aversa drawled, after a fourth attack hit me and sent me crashing onto my back. "Princess of the Grimleal… daughter of Grima… yet you're not putting up that much of a fight at all." I struggled to stand up, but she casually walked over and kicked me in the stomach before stomping on my chest. I coughed and struggled to breath as she casually leaned forward, pinning me on my back. Her heel was right on my sternum and I wondered if she'd break it. "You're the one Grima wants as his right hand, his precious 'daughter', yet you can't even hold your own against me? Really?"

"Well, you do have an advantage over me," I coughed. I managed to grin up at her, mostly because I only really had one way to 'insult' her at this point. "I mean… you're so much _older_ than-" I gasped in pain as she suddenly, viciously, stomped on me again. "Gah…"

"I'm not allowed to kill you, but I have to wonder if you might be a little more compliant if you're missing a few limbs." Her voice dropped to a hiss, and I had a feeling her age was a bit of a nerve. "Maybe an eye? They're such a dull, drab color, after all. An ugly muddy brown. You got it from your mother, along with the filthy red hair."

"Hate to break it to you, but I really don't care much about how I look, so long as I _don't_ look like my father." I glanced to the side, wondering if there was something near, somehow, that I could use. However, I noticed something else that intrigued me; I had a clear shot on Gangrel from here, as he laughed and ordered his soldiers. "But there is something I got from him that you keep forgetting about." I smiled and brought up my shaking hand, my arm trembling as aching pain shot through it. " _Ut incenderent tenebris in vobis benedictio."_ She shrieked, jerking back, and she dropped her tome as she clawed at her own skin. It hit me in the face, but I didn't care as I sat up, her tome falling into my lap. "You forgot that as Grima's 'daughter', I can curse with only my blood."

I tore a page out of her tome and threw it over the side before using the page to cast it. The power pulsed through me, pain following, and I grit my teeth as lightning flew from my hands and struck at Gangrel. Unfortunately, I couldn't fully control the spell, and Gangrel was a dodgy and lucky fellow, so most of it missed, but his screech of pain told me I managed a good enough hit anyway. Which was good, because even if I hadn't thrown the tome, I doubted I could manage a second strike with that tome, even _with_ my blood tie to Grima.

Aversa was definitely Shadowgifted if she used this tome as her normal weapon. Only Shadowgifted individuals could control dark magic better than Robin and me.

A cheer went up shortly after, and I grinned as I saw Phila and the other formerly captured Ylissean pegasus knights fly onto the field. Basilio's job during all of this had been to liberate the captured soldiers, and they certainly succeeded. We had no idea just _why_ they'd also captured the pegasi, but we weren't exactly going to look a gift horse in the mouth. I waved at a few and tried to turn my attention to Emmeryn, intending on limping over and helping her onto a pegasus. But, as I did, I noticed that Aversa was still between Emmeryn and me, with Emmeryn too distracted by everything to look my way.

Aversa panted heavily, the breaths a little high-pitched. Her neck and chest were bloody from where she'd dug into her own skin to try and escape the pain I'd inflicted. Tears clung to her cheeks, and her eyes were narrowed into a vicious glare. If looks could kill, I'd be dead a thousand times over. I really would.

"You lot really don't play fair," she hissed, teetering a bit as she stepped towards me. However, she smirked, eyes glinting viciously. "Fortunately, though, neither do I." She snapped her fingers, and black light sparked and blossomed, swirling around her and flying up into the air. I watched them slowly, recognizing them absently as a 'message spell', but wondered just what sort of message she could be sending, and to whom.

Then something pulsed through me, like a burning hot dagger sliding straight into my spine. I gasped from the pain, too light of a word but the only one I had, and buckled, struggling to breath as the pain crawled all the way through me, one tiny claw at a time. The Brand on my back felt almost alive, squirming and stretching to reach the 'claws'. Tears ran down my face, and I choked on nothing, rolling onto my side and digging into the bone in a desperate attempt to somehow _escape_.

" _Oh, hello there, my darling, darling 'queen'. I've missed you dearly."_ A voice echoed deep in my head. Smug. Powerful. Vaguely familiar on two separate levels. " _Alas, you're too far away for me to claim you. What a shame."_ Bright red eyes filled my vision. Pools of blood, far too old to be human. " _That thread of fate will have to be mended another day. Now, I have to fix what that detestable 'light' tried to snip. So annoying._ " A shadowy figure looming over me, blocking out the sun. Blocking out all the light. " _I don't know what she thinks her stubbornness will do. Her father was far more stubborn, and he is my ever faithful servant._ " A low, dark chuckle. " _My 'king'... and I shan't let him go. Not for long. Just like you. You think you can fly, but I'm always here. Fate… can never be changed."_

The pain ebbed away, slowly, and I continued coughing, choking now on my own spit as I focused on breathing. Focused on the present. I shakily tried to pick myself up, wincing as I noticed I'd bloodied my fingers. I slipped a few times before standing on my shaking legs. That was when I heard the screams and thought to look over the battlefield, wondering what the hell was going on. I froze when I saw Risen, a whole army of them, had appeared out of nowhere. And the majority of them… were archers.

The screams were the sounds of the pegasus knights falling from the sudden undead army.

"Don't you see how foolish it is to fight?" Aversa's smug voice seemed so far away as I watched them all fall. I watched little crimson blotches bloom on the ground below, far too small for the lives they represented. "You thought you escaped fate? Fate doesn't like that," she laughed. I sensed her slink up behind me, and she wrapped her arms around me in a hug. I was reminded of Emmeryn's, and felt cold, because I knew this hug wasn't given to comfort. It was simply to mock me. It was probably why she'd let me stand up in the first place. "Why don't you just accept it? It's so much easier, right?" She kissed the top of my head in an almost-sisterly fashion. "Come with me. I know some people who will be so very happy to see you."

She tugged me back, and I almost went with her, feeling so much like the doll I was 'supposed' to be. But a shout made me look up, and I saw Phila hadn't fallen yet. She dodged arrows gracefully, like a dancer really, and got in close, though the arrowed blocked her from reaching Emmeryn. Her eyes darted about, and she and Emmeryn were discussing something. I wondered what it was, wondered what they were saying. They sounded too far away; their words were only mush. But I saw Phila's eyes flick to me, and I saw _Emmeryn_ glance back to me, and I figured it out.

Emmeryn was begging Phila to get _me_. Because that's just how she was. Emmeryn had noticed me, at some point, and knew I was in danger. She wouldn't leave me alone in danger.

Phila was begging Emmeryn to come with her, so that she could come _back_ for me. Or, else, she was trying to figure out a way to get us _both_. She wouldn't leave Emmeryn in danger.

I… had to get myself out of this situation. Because there was no way Phila would get _both_ of us. In this situation, she might not even be able to get _one_ of us. But if Emmeryn was to have any sort of chance, I needed to save _myself_.

"...I suppose running is pointless," I whispered. I slowly reached up and clutched Aversa's arm, as if I was accepting the embrace. But, really, I was just getting a good grip on her sleeve. "But, well, I'm not quite out of options yet." I dug my nails in, and she squeaked in surprise. "And I can survive things a little better than you!"

I twisted, and purposely slipped off the edge, taking Aversa off with me. Almost immediately, she yelped and screamed a few words in Old Plegian. Dark magic scattered from her hand, and before long, I saw a pitch-black pegasus swoop below us, summoned by another basic calling spell. She struggled to get me off of her, but I held on, so when we landed 'on' her pegasus, she was my crash cushion. I swung my legs just out of the way of her resulting show of vomit, since I kind of landed on her stomach, and waited until I was a little closer to the ground before jumping down. It didn't take long; the pegasus didn't really know how to adapt to _two_ people landing hard on it. So, I jumped off and rolled when I hit to bleed off momentum and try to not break anything. I ended up rolling a bit more than I'd wanted, though, since my injuries protested all the exercise, and I scraped up my side badly. But I could still push myself up. I could still walk. I was alive. I was alive, and in a situation where I could get myself to safety. Emmeryn and Phila didn't have to worry about me.

I stumbled back, vision greying as the pain flooded me. I looked around, and then had to flatten myself to the ground as arrows flew right over my head. I jerked my head up to see that Phila was their target, and as I pushed myself up, I saw her dodge them all effortlessly before darting close to Emmeryn, one arm outstretched towards her. Her eyes narrowed with determination, and though more arrows flew by, none seemed even close to reaching her as her hands brushed against Emmeryn's arm, ready to snatch her, to take her to safety.

But then there was a flicker of dark magic in the corner of my eye. Red-black flames wrapped around one arrow. Deep, echoing laughter thundered through my skull again. And the arrow's trajectory _bent_. It bent, so that instead of flying harmlessly under Phila's arm where it _should_ have gone… it thudded up and under her breastplate, for a perfect lung-heart shot.

The air itself stilled from the shock of the blow l and I swore I heard her gasp of pain because of it. Still, she struggled to stay aloft, to reach Emmeryn and get her on the pegasus. But all her strength faded with the arrow and she slipped off her pegasus and fell. Two eternities later, more red-black flamed arrows ripped through her pegasus's wings, sending it into a freefall too. Pure white feathers trailed after them both and the silence stretched on and on. Until their bodies hit the ground with a horrifying splat, bloodied feathers scattering on the wind, blood droplets splattering against the rough walls and streaming down the stairs.

I stumbled over to the blood, automatically, and I nearly gagged at… everything. She'd splattered. There was no other way to describe it. She and her pegasus had splattered. Red and pink everywhere. Barely resembling any sort of anything but… paste. Red and pink paste with little bits of cloth and feathers.

I limped a little closer and knelt down beside what remained, a strange ringing-roar in my ears blocking out all sounds. Blocking out everything except what was right in front of me. I poked at them, and wondered if I was looking for a pulse, or hoping there wasn't one. I didn't want them dead, not like that. But if they _were_ alive… gods, I couldn't imagine the pain they'd be in.

Something wet fell on my head. I looked up slowly, thinking that there was some other pegasus knight bleeding or, worse, a sign that I really needed to get out of the way since another was falling. But there was no pegasus knight. There was only Emmeryn, her tears glittering in the sun, her jaw clenched to keep her crying quiet.

"Oh, thank the gods. _You're_ okay." Flavia suddenly appeared behind me, and she lifted me up, attempting to drag me away from Phila's remains. I tripped over my own feet, though, so she focused more on steadying me. "Okay, all Shepherds accounted for, thanks to that Libra fellow and that Tharja girl," she muttered. She was splattered with blood and sweat and the hand on my arm trembled. "So, at least we didn't lose you two."

"What's going on?" I whispered slowly, fighting to process everything. The ringing-roar in my ears died, but I caught only silence. Not even the Risen were firing arrows anymore. "I… stopped paying attention when Phila fell." I hadn't been in time. I should've saved myself sooner. I should've fought harder.

"Gangrel is demanding the Emblem for Emmeryn, and he won't let anyone but Chrom make the decision." She tried to tug me away again, but I tripped over my feet again. I felt like my body wasn't even mine, except I knew it was. I still felt pain. "Damn, you look as rough as Robin…"

"How is he? How is…?"

"Pained, wounded, and reeling from how everything went from 'within acceptable' to 'worst possible scenario' in half a second." She slung my arm around her shoulders and tried to help me walk. It worked a little better this time, but I still had no real control over my feet. "Do you mind me carrying you?"

"No, it's probably the only way to ensure we actually get out of being open targets." I heard Gangrel laugh, and looked up to see he was back on the stage, bleeding and singed, but grinning like a maniac. "Oh, hell, Chrom just agreed." I couldn't see him, but I knew that's what he did. That was the only reason why Gangrel would be laughing now.

"Well, no shit." She crouched down to let me climb onto her back. "Stupid family treasure for a life? It's a no brain-"

"Wait a moment!" Emmeryn suddenly called, making Flavia leap to her feet and me jump. Tears still clung to her face, but her expression was serene and her voice was even. "Please, can we-?"

"Silence!" Gangrel snapped, whirling to face her. He snarled up at her, hatred and anger apparent in his growl. "You will be-"

"I. Will. Not." Emmeryn's eyes narrowed slightly. "Not yet, at least. Is there truly no hope that you will listen to reason?"

"Not more of this sanctimonious babble!" Gangrel groaned, rolling his eyes. I wondered how the others were reacting. Probably more shock. None of this really felt _real_. "No, I think not! I want to listen is the thunk of arrows and the splat as you hit the ground, like your pathetic pegasus knight there!" He pointed to Phila's remains for emphasis. "I want you to prepare to meet your maker! Unless someone wants to give me the Emblem, _now_!"

"...I see she was correct." Emmeryn's voice was very calm. Strangely calm even, considering everything. "I know you. I know you better than you think. A ruler must take on the will of their people, the wishes and the hopes. I strove for the peace my people longed for, and you took on your people's desire for revenge. But you are blinded by that obsession, just as I was blinded by my single-mindedness."

"Oh, blah, blah-"

"I would ask you to behave as a king, not a jester, for the first time in your life, King Gangrel." Emmeryn's voice remained even and calm. I heard Chrom call her name, but she ignored him. Her attention was solely on Gangrel, and he did _not_ look comfortable with that. "Though I am blind, I did my best to listen. And thanks to that I know. I know the _real_ reason why you seek the Emblem, even if you yourself do not."

"Will you do me a favor and shut the f-"

"You are ill-suited to be a king, Gangrel." She smiled then, a slow and regal smile. "But fear not. My next words, and actions, are not for you. You may ignore me now." She turned then, and looked out over everything. Her smile warmed slightly, and I knew she was looking at Chrom. Then her eyes fell on me, and I saw her mouth something. It took me a few seconds to figure it out, and when I did, my blood went cold.

'I am the Queen. Keep him safe.'

"People of Plegia, please, listen to me!" Emmeryn's voice carried easily on the wind. I saw a few civilians poke out from their shelters. I wondered how that lady and that kid were. "I ask, nay, beg, that you hear the truth of my words! I know that I failed you as I failed so many, but please, know I speak true! " She turned her smile onto all of them. Not her polite, serene 'Exalt' smile. It was her real smile. "War will win you nothing but sadness and pain! Surely, the past has shown you that!" She held out her hands, just a little, in a welcoming gesture. "You must free yourselves from this hatred! From this cycle of pain and vengeance! For yourselves and for your future! Do what you can, what you must!" Her smile grew, but I saw the fear in her eyes. The fear, the pain… yet also the love, the determination. The drive to protect. "And I shall do what I must! For you, and for my people!"

That was a lie. Or, rather, that was just an excuse. In her eyes, I saw the _real_ reason why she was doing this, and I saw it because I knew, thanks to that smile, that she wasn't being the 'Exalt'. She was just being 'Emmeryn', and she was just doing what she wanted, for once in her life. She wanted to protect Chrom, as he had saved her so many times. And, in this situation, there was only one way to do it.

Someone pushed past me. It took me a blink to realize it was Chrom, rushing pointlessly for her. I chased after him, tripping a couple of times as I tried to remember how to move my legs, but managing it nonetheless. Though Flavia called for us both, I kept on running and kept my gaze up, watching Emmeryn. She looked over everyone, her smile fading back for her serious mask. She smiled slightly, bitterly, as if saying 'was I wrong? Oh well.'. She looked down, closing her eyes as if laughing at herself, before opening them again, eyes serious. She was back to being the Exalt.

She walked to the edge slowly, steps purposeful and head held high. Chrom slipped on some loose rocks as he ran as hard and fast as he could. I followed him closely, still watching Emmeryn. Her eyes looked over everything again, and her eyes wavered. Her hands shook as she brought her hands together, as if in prayer. Maybe she was praying for this to work. Maybe she was praying that we'd make it out of here safely.

Chrom reached out to her, even though it was fruitless. I continued to watch Emmeryn. She looked down at the two of us and smiled. She mouthed some words, and though I couldn't make it out, her eyes told me what she said anyway. 'I love you. I'm sorry.'

Time slowed as she leaned forward. Time slowed as she fell. Her hair whipped behind her as she plummeted towards the ground. Her robes billowed. The sunlight focused on her, highlighting the gold in her hair and in her clothes. She still smiled. She smiled and closed her eyes as she got closer and closer to the ground…

 _TWHUMP!_

...Silence… silence… more silence… I slowed to a stop. Chrom stumbled forward a few more steps before collapsing to his knees, a distance away from where Emmeryn impacted. The blood already pooled under her, staining her clothes crimson, little ribbons of scarlet seeping through her golden hair. The incline to the ground made the blood run, small little streams branching off into the various cracks in the stone.

...Silence. Silence. More silence. No one said anything. No one moved. No one even breathed. We all just stared. We stared, not quite comprehending what Emmeryn just did. We stared, watching the blood grow larger and larger. We stared, trying to connect all the pieces and come up with some sort of reaction. Any sort of reaction.

Lissa's heart breaking, ear splitting _scream_ broke the silence. It broke the silence, and started my own tears as I watched Chrom curl into himself and whisper a single, shaking word: 'Emm...'

Maniacal laughter jolted me from my distant sadness, and I jerked my head up to see Gangrel was… he was laughing and clapping, like this was the end of some theater show. "Well now!" he cackled, nearly doubled over from the force. "How disgustingly noble! And so lovely of a fall! Here I thought death to be an ugly thing, but that was so beautiful!" He reached up and wiped at the corner of his eye. "Ah, look! It even made me shed a tear! I've never see a fall so graceful! I simply must do something to make sure I can remember such a beautiful moment!" He pretended to think for a moment, completely oblivious to the seething hatred and anger building, and then snapped his fingers. "I know! We'll gather up her body and put it on display! Her face must be a terrible mess, but it's not like she was a beauty anyway! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

There was some roar of rage. It was impossible to figure out the source. Maybe it was all the Shepherds. Maybe it was just myself, my own anger trying to break free through the shock. But then there was Basilio's voice rising above the roar, ordering a retreat, followed by Flavia's, and all the shock faded for a single thing. Emmeryn's last request to me had been to keep Chrom safe. I… had to.

So, I walked over to him and crouched down, resting my hands on his shoulder and back. "Chrom, we have to leave," I whispered. I shook him, but he didn't react. "Chrom, we have to _leave_." He still didn't react, so I went for a different tactic. "Chrom, if we don't leave now, the Shepherds are going to die." _That_ finally got me a reaction, though it was just to look up at me with a dry-eyed, but utterly lost look. He was too hurt to cry. I knew that instantly. "We need to leave."

"But… her body…" Chrom croaked. He looked back towards it. The blood still trickled away from her body. "I… I need to…"

"...Lissa is going to die if we don't leave _now_. We can get her body later." I managed to pull him to his feet. But he still didn't move. "Come on. Please, Chrom?"

"But…" He reached for the body, and he stepped forward. "I…"

"For me?" I shrugged helplessly when he looked back at me. "I've tried the Shepherds, I've tried Lissa… I know you won't leave for yourself. Will you for me?"

"..." His expression crumpled, though he still didn't cry. Instead, he nodded and let me lead him away. I held onto his hand tightly, too scared to let go, as we joined the others and ran as fast as we could.

As we did, I noticed there was a distinct lack of arrows, and took a single glance back, wondering why. When I did, I noticed… I noticed there weren't any Risen anymore. Instead, I saw soldiers in their places, with fallen pieces of armor and weapons hinting that the Risen hadn't just miraculously 'disappeared'. Instead, they'd been destroyed, and now, the Plegian soldiers… let us go. They were _letting_ us escape from here, though I had no doubts that we'd have pursuers, in time. They were giving us the only chance they could, even though they could kill us all, right here, and get their full vengeance. They could destroy it all, right now, but they didn't. They let us leave instead.

I knew… if Emmeryn could just talk to them… they'd see her sincerity… I knew it...

* * *

Next Chapter - Don't Say Her Name


	18. Chapter 10) Don't Say Her Name

Chapter 10) Don't Say Her Name

* * *

 _We failed. Emmeryn's dead. We failed._

* * *

The rain made it hard to run. We were already tired, of course. Injured, even. And the rain was cold. It was cold, and it battered our shoulders and backs. I almost thought we'd bruise from it. Quite a few people slipped and fell in the mud. Those that fell more than twice were thrown onto horses. Panne and Nowi even transformed and let themselves be rode by some of the lighter members, just because we didn't have enough mounts to cover everyone who tripped.

"Robin, we need to keep going," I whispered, holding onto his hand tightly. He didn't say anything, but squeezed my hand back and did his best to keep up the rather brutal pace I set. Normally, he was far faster than I, but the stress of everything hit him hard. It was hard to know what afflicted him more: exhaustion, guilt, or pain. "One foot in front of the other."

"Why does this seem familiar?" he murmured. He stumbled, but I caught him. "A second…"

"Just the one." I glanced around, making sure no one had been left behind. I paid closer attention to Chrom and Lissa, but thankfully, Frederick and Maribelle had them still. I just had to focus on Robin, and trust the rest watched each other. "And we've run a lot."

"With such pain in our hearts?"

"...Yeah. It's not the first time we've seen friends die. It's just… the most recent."

"Ah." He looked down at the muddy ground, and absently kicked a puddle. "If only there was a way to remember the good and forget the bad. Maybe I'll ask Tharja for a curse."

"Please don't. I've already dealt with you amnesiac once." I shook my head, grimacing as my hair stuck awkwardly to my neck. Night was falling, so the temperature was dropping on _top_ of the chilling rain. "We have to keep moving. We're going to freeze."

"We can't keep up this pace."

"We're not surviving this cold. We have no shelter." To throw off pursuers, we'd thrown the 'not essential' supplies down other paths. The tents had been among the last bits thrown. "Basilio said we're not far."

"This is my fault. If I-"

"If you've the breath for guilting yourself, you've the breath to run." I snatched his hand again and tugged. "Come on, we need to-" I yelped as I was suddenly splashed. It took a few seconds to realize it was because an arrow had flopped into the ground in front of me. "Oh, damn it…"

"So, you did divert to the Midmire." An older man stepped out from behind one of the 'giant rocks', really vertebrae of Grima's spine, and faced us with a carefully blank look on his face. "Henry was right, then," he murmured. More soldiers stepped out, and I ground my teeth. We'd run into a trap. "Quite the place to run to."

"Well, the idea had been that you all would think it too crazy," Basilio sighed, looking very exasperated. He stepped up to the front, keeping his axe to his side. Flavia lingered behind, though, with her sword unsheathed. "Midmire is a forsaken land with lots of floods."

"Hiding in audacity. Considering your plan earlier, and how many of our own you bested with it, I suppose it isn't surprising." The man frowned slightly. "My name is Mustafa, Ylisseans. I offer you a mercy. Surrender now, and live."

"Surrender?" Basilio scoffed. "Sorry, I'm not familiar with the word, especially from one of Gangrel's dogs."

"Thankfully, Feroxi Khan, I am not speaking to you. I am speaking to the Ylisseans. I know you are here with them as an ally." Mustafa looked over all of us, and his gaze focused on Chrom, half-hidden behind Frederick. "There you are. Now, Prince Chrom… Exalt Emmeryn-

"Don't say her name!" Chrom instantly snapped. He snarled, eyes flashing in fury. He might've lunged if not for Frederick. "Don't you dare say her name, Plegian!"

"...Your rage is justified, Prince Chrom," Mustafa whispered. "But the meaning of your sister's sacrifice was not lost on me." He held out his hand to Chrom. "If you lay down your weapons, I vow to protect you as best as I can."

"...But you _can't_ do that, can you?" I whispered. I stepped forward, looking at the soldiers. They looked tired, shaken. "Gangrel would never allow it. At the least, Chrom would die. A man that could laugh at a suicide is not one to be trusted, and by consequence, no matter how sincere you might actually be, you cannot be trusted either."

"Your eyes see much." His own eyes narrowed slightly and they flicked to my hair, a common color among Plegians, and my eyes. "You remind me of a priestess who disappeared fifteen years ago."

"The world is funny like that." I shrugged. "Can you not just let us pass?"

"Alas, I cannot. Gangrel has his hold on me as well. Please, surrender."

"Given your king, we're better off taking our chances with weapons in hand," Frederick pointed out. He reached out and tugged me behind him. As he did, I noticed most of the Shepherds drawing their weapons, fury and murder in their eyes. "On the off-chance you win, it'll be a quicker death."

"So it would be," Mustafa murmured, bowing his head. "Very well. I will ensure your deaths are quick and dignified!"

It was hard to say who attacked first, us or them. It was even harder to really keep track of everyone as the fighting started. The mud churned under our feet, and the sounds of battle were nearly swallowed up by the splashing of puddles, the battering of the rain, the roaring of the wind, and the rumble of the thunder. Even through all that cacophony, though, I could still hear my comrades' angry words, intent on not only _showing_ the enemy how stupid it had been to attack us, but _telling_ them.

" _Here's how it's done!" "Your end has come!"_

The smell of this battle was different. That was the first thing I noticed. The mud and rain blocked off the normal scent of blood, sweat, and other things. It created this very odd daze, for lack of a better word, where I expected the smell of death, but only got the rain's smell. Not quite as crisp and clean as rain normally was, but nowhere near as bad as a battlefield _should_ smell. It made it all seem distant, like this was some strange sort of dream, really.

" _Shall I make you famous~?" "Bye now~" "Hot death coming through!" "I'll make this quick."_

I was alone on the field for once, mostly because it was hard to keep track of everything and everyone through the sheets of rain. I did notice that the Plegian soldiers I cut down didn't properly fight back. Their movements were too slow and jerky, like they were wearing heavy weights. When I killed one, I actually took their sword, just to check if it was heavier than it should've been. If anything, it was lighter. It wasn't their weapons and armor that weighed them down.

" _Rebarbative fool!" "They've gotta notice this!" "That's enough back talk!" "I'll kill you twice!"_

The next one I fought… well, I didn't fight. I swung and missed on purpose, watching their expression. They looked both relieved and disappointed as I moved past, and clunkily swiped at me. I stepped into the blow, catching it across my neck. Their eyes widened in horror as a little bit of blood trickled down, and they stumbled back. I gave them a mournful look, and pointed off the field, silently telling them to just run. After a moment, they did, giving me an apologetic one in return.

" _Do you like darkness?" "I smell your fear." "You're so dead!" "Like candy from a babe!"_

I walked around one of Grima's vertebrae, stepping around other soldiers that only half-heartedly attacked me. They looked so tired and drained, and I pushed a few into the hole within the vertebrae, silently insisting that they simply hide. One of them stopped me and rubbed some vulnerary across the cut on my neck. I gave them a smile in return and continued on.

" _Your last breath approaches." "I am your omega." "Now you've angered me!" "Begone!"_

A wyvern crashed into me, knocking me clear off my feet and into the mud. But the wyvern was off me in an instance, and soon, someone, the rider, was helping me _up_. Their wide eyes screamed apologies, and it was clear that they were just trying to land, just trying to get away from this madness. I'd been an unintentional target. So, I smiled reassuringly, and made a point to pet the wyvern's head before pointing to a place where they could hide. They gave me a grateful smile as I walked away.

" _Don't look down on me!" "I'm gonna crush you!" "Now to face maker!"_

There was some sort of scream, and for a moment, I tried to figure out the source. But then I realized it wasn't one _with_ a source. Not exactly. Instead, it was a wordless cry of grief from _everyone_ on the field that the wind twisted into something loud and heartrending. I wondered why the Plegians were crying, but I came across the reason fairly quickly. Mustafa was dead. Worse, Mustafa was _mangled_. In their own rage and pain, whoever had fought Mustafa had simple torn him apart, to the point that he was barely recognizable.

When I looked around, I saw _most_ of the corpses lying in the mud and puddles were in similar conditions. My friends ripped them all apart.

"Olivia!" Basilio's happy call drew my attention forward, and I saw Olivia, wearing a soaked cloak and carrying a lantern, standing in front of him. "Good, you're here," he said, resting a bloody hand on her head, on the cloak. She smiled, and didn't mind. "How did you hide?"

"The general here showed me a good hiding spot, and he made a point to not look down at the ravine," she explained. Her smile faltered before returning. I noticed our group gathering up and started doing a headcount for the Shepherds. "He knew I was waiting for you all. He helped me anyway."

"Huh. Maybe he wasn't mocking us with the surrender offer then. Oh well." Basilio shrugged. "We need to get everyone into carriages. How are we? Did you lose any along the way?"

I tried to pay attention, but the world faded away as I came up one _short_ for the headcount. I counted again, and then again, and then a _fourth_ time. But the number was always the same. We were one short. I grew colder and colder as I looked at all the faces, wondering just who was missing, and I felt like ice when I realized who it was: Chrom.

I turned away from the others and raced away, desperately hunting through the rain, trying to listen for any sort of fighting or whimpering or _anything_. I slipped and fell a few times, faceplanting into a horribly red puddle once or twice. But I eventually heard the sounds of fighting, and I threw all my strength and energy into my legs to try and make it there.

When I arrived, Chrom was actually on his knees, coughing and bleeding, in front of three Plegians with fury and pain twisting their faces. It was such a contrast to the ones I encountered, and I tried to figure out why. But then I realized it was probably in hatred for what our group did to theirs. A horrible cycle of pain begetting pain. A cycle Emmeryn encouraged everyone to break free off before throwing herself to her death.

The three made to attack, with Chrom snarling up at them. I used the last of my strength to throw myself in between, catching a _bad_ hit to my side in the process. The pain nearly made me buckle, and I might have fallen anyway…

Except Chrom caught me with a shaking hand. The other loosely held Falchion. "Kes!" he yelled, clinging to me. "Kes, what the… what did you…?" He growled something, and his grip on Falchion tightened. I saw it out of the corner of my eye. "You three are-!"

"Chrom, enough," I hissed, leaning against him. He stilled behind me. "Enough. Enough fighting today." I looked up and smiled at the three soldiers, who now looked so, so confused. "Run, you three. Just run. We escaped. That's all. You fought bravely, and we escaped in the chaos that resulted from your general's death." I made sure to smile at them. It seemed to make them falter. "Go. Quickly. He wouldn't want you to die, right?" I thought of Emmeryn's words. "Free yourself and _go_."

My words managed to get through to them. They glanced at each other hesitantly and then, after a long moment, nodded and ran, making a point to drop their weapons in the process. They shouted at their fellows, urging them to fall back. They weren't just running; they were doing what they could to get us a breather to escape.

"You are the most…" Chrom growled. He sheathed Falchion and moved to my side, face a stony mask. "Why didn't you let me… oh, never mind." He scooped me up suddenly and carried me in a princess-carry. I winced at the movement and whimpered as fresh pain spiraled out from the injury. "Sorry!" He looked down at me almost frantically. I nearly cried just because he wasn't _mad_ anymore, and that was such a relief. "Is this worse on your injury? Should I carry you on my back?"

"No, I don't want to move anymore," I whispered. I managed another smile for him and reached up to touch his cheek. The rain made the blood splatter run pink down his face, like a mockery of tears. "As for why? Because I know that even in your anger, you'd never want to do something that would make your father pleased and Emmeryn, sad." I curled against his chest, too tired to maintain the smile, and let my hand fall. "That's all. You hate your dad and love her. So, I made sure you simply did what she'd want you to do."

"...You got hurt…"

"Honestly, Chrom, watching you become someone you hate would hurt a thousand times more." I closed my eyes then, trying not to wince as I remembered _that_ conversation with Emmeryn too. He simply shifted me carefully in his arms and carried me to the others.

There was a long series of yelps at some point, signaling that Chrom had made it to the others, and I was quickly taken from Chrom and set up somewhere else where someone fussed over me. I opened my eyes briefly to see it was Sumia, who might've been crying. It was hard to tell, thanks to the constant rain, but her eyes were red. She hugged and kissed the top of my head when she noticed my eyes were open, though, and stood to the side only to let Maribelle crouch near and heal me up.

"What about Chrom?" I asked, curious. There was a lot of movement around us, and I saw carriages were near. Some were already filled, even. "He was injured."

"Libra, the dear, is tending to him," Maribelle explained. Her expression was grim. "But we have more trouble. Cordelia…"

"Shepherds, listen to me!" Robin's voice cracked through the general murmuring. "Cordelia has reported that we have pursuers!" he explained. One eye was shut from a bleeding head wound, but his other one was glaring. "We need a small group to act as a distraction, to meet up later."

"I'll stay," I volunteered instantly. I used Maribelle's shoulder as a crutch to push myself up, and tried not to wince. My body was feeling the effects of this far too long day, but I knew I wasn't the only one injured and exhausted. "I know the area a bit, so-"

"No. Denied." Someone picked me up by the waist and all but threw me into one of the carriages. It took a couple of blinks to realize a) this was the same one Chrom was pushed into earlier and b) Frederick was the one who threw me. "No, let it just be these two in here," he told someone, not even looking at us. "It's one of the smaller ones, so it'll be good cover. Put Princess Lissa in a different one, just in case." The door slammed shut and then it took off with a little lurch, knocking me right into Chrom. Which was better than Chrom, since he cracked his head against the bench on the carriage.

"...Holy shit, that all really happened," I whispered, shifting a bit to stare at the door. The carriage rattled and the rain thudded onto the roof. It sounded too much like arrows for my liking. "What the hell, Frederick?" I looked back down at Chrom, who blinked slowly up at me. He looked as dazed as I felt. "You okay?"

"Yeah, sure," he replied. He frowned slightly. "Are you okay? Your injury?"

"All healed up. You?"

"Yeah, fine." He flinched as some water dripped from my hair and onto his face. "Just fine."

"Good…" It still took a second for me to realize why water would fall from my hair to my face. I was pinning him. Awkward at any other time, but right now, I was too drained to feel anything but worry. "Oh, shoot, let me get off." It took a bit of maneuvering to do that, though. Frederick had been right; this _was_ a small carriage, so there wasn't a lot of space on the floor for me to push myself up. Once I did, though, Chrom sat up too, and stiffly lifted himself onto one of the seats. I sat across from him, and leaned against the window, watching the rain. "You should sleep."

"So should you."

"So I should." We fell into a strange sort of silence, somewhere between awkward and comfortable. I wasn't sure what to say or do, so I simply closed my eyes, and tried not to remember Phila's last moments, and Emmeryn's last words.

I passed out before long, though. I supposed I was more exhausted than I thought.

* * *

A loud noise startled me out of my slumber, and I tried to jump to my feet and draw my sword. I ended up clonking my head on the ceiling and cracking my elbow against the wall. I sat back down with a whimper, resting my head in my hands as I checked for blood, and sat back, remembering just where I was. In a carriage with Chrom. And it was still raining.

"I think we hit a hole in the road." Chrom's voice was dull and soft. When I lifted my head to look at him, he was just staring out the window. It didn't look like he'd slept at all. "Nothing more," he murmured. I made some noise in response and settled back in my seat, watching him. A silence fell, one that felt horrible awkward. It had been a long time, or so it seemed, since he and I had an _awkward_ silence. "I thought it didn't rain in the desert."

"It's rare normally, but the Midmire is infamous for sudden rain storms," I replied. I glanced out the window and saw next to nothing thanks to the rain. Grey, dreary, dark. That's it. "Where are we?"

"Not sure. We stopped for a bit, and I thought they changed out the horses. No one came to get us, though."

"Oh." Awkward silence again. Even worse, he wouldn't look at me. I wasn't really… used to this anymore. Not from him. "Have you seen any of the others?"

"Nope."

"Ah." The carriage rattled, and I was desperate to try and break the silence. I half-felt like jumping out of the carriage would've hurt less. "Chrom?"

"Yes?"

"About… about Emm-"

"Don't." His voice cracked suddenly, and he coughed to try and clear it. "Please, don't… don't say her name…"

Fear and shock flooded me. It was the same words he'd said to Mustafa. I thought of how angry he'd been. I thought of how all the corpses had been ripped apart, basically. The rain thudded against the roof, sounding too much like the arrows that killed Phila. Phila, who went 'splat', just like Emmeryn, except Emmeryn _chose_ …

It all spiraled through my head, and that damnable silence fell again. I… I…

"Do you not want me to because you don't want to think about it?" I asked softly. I felt small. I felt like I was a little kid again. "Or… is it…?" It didn't help that he still wouldn't look at me. "Do… do you hate me now?"

"Huh?!" He jerked up, and winced as he cracked his head against the wall. "I… what?" he asked. Everything from his expression to his voice showed his disbelief. "No, never. I could never hate you." He looked almost pained by the thought, and guilt shot through me. "Why… why even ask?"

"W-well, a couple of things." I glanced out the window, too scared to look at him. "You were pretty angry earlier at Mustafa and the other Plegians. You and the other Shepherds basically mutilated the bodies and all, which tends to indicate a lot of hatred. And… I'm… I'm Plegian."

"That…" His voice was soft. I was too scared to look at him. "Kes, that's not… I mean…"

"And I was slow." This wasn't the time. I knew this wasn't the time to say any of this. But I was too tired and scared to dam up these thoughts. "I was up there too, with… with her. Sort of." I was scared of losing his friendship. Scared of losing the home I had found here with the Shepherds. I was scared of _everything_. "I was apart and couldn't hear, but I could just tell. She refused to simply go with Phila until I was safe. I was too slow in escaping."

"Kes…"

"And you heard her." I wanted to stop talking but I couldn't. "It was my words she repeated. And I'm…" I hesitated, scared. But I couldn't stop. Now that I started, I couldn't _stop_. "I'm the one who told her… well, I guess a theory for the Emblem? I mean… I more told her what the Grimleal were planning, and the pieces went from there, but…"

"Kes."

"But still, that was me. My words. And I was slow." My voice cracked and my eyes burned. I tried to hide the latter by leaning more against the cool window. "And I'm… Plegian… by blood… so… I…"

Chrom seized me by the arms, and before I had time to even squeak, he pulled me towards him, holding me tightly against his chest. "No, that's not it at all. I don't hate you. I could _never_ hate you. I just…" He paused, and his hug on me tightened. "It hurts. It hurts so much. It was the former. I don't want to think about it. That's it. It just hurts so gods _damned_ much..."

"...Of course it does." I hesitated again, before shifting so that I could wrap my arms around him too. It was a bit awkward, sitting in his lap and all, but as he trembled under my hands, I thought he needed the hug too. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. Not yet, anyway. You're tired, and in pain. You should be allowed to scream. You should be allowed to be angry." Even if I did worry about the state of those corpses. But that was a conversation we should've had _later_ , when he was calmer, when the wound had scabbed. "I'm sorry for being selfish."

"You're not being-"

"Yes, I am." I made my voice as firm as I could to head off any sort of argument. "I turned a discussion that should've been about _you_ into being about _me_ , just because I was scared." I lifted my head to look at him. He looked so worried that my heart ached. "Talk to me. Complain to me. Or simply cry, Chrom."

"But you-"

"Chrom, yes, I'm tired and I'm in pain. I adored her, and I feel like if I'd done something different, then maybe she'd still be alive." I brought my hand up to his cheek and he leaned into it automatically. "But, damn it, Chrom, you feel all those same things, right? But it's worse, because she's your _sister_. Gods, Robin losing his memory felt like a knife to the gut, but at least I still _have_ him. He's different, and I'm still adapting, but he's still here." I tried to move to sit beside him, but he tightened his hold on me. "Chrom, seriously, let's focus on you." I moved my hand to his shoulder and tried to break out again. But, instead, his hold tightened even further. "Let's focus on you and not-"

His hand snaked up to cup the back on my head and push it towards his shoulder. I tried to struggle out, but his breath hitched and it wasn't long before I felt tears hit the top of my head. Slowly, I relaxed, realizing that this wasn't him trying to comfort me. This was him trying to _get_ comfort from me. So, instead, I wrapped my arms around him again and curled into him as best as I could. The rain continued thudding on the roof, and the carriage rattled and jostled down the road, barely heard through the rain.

"She died for me," he whispered at last. His voice shook so badly that I could barely understand him. "I saw it. I saw it in her smile and in her eyes. She didn't want me to deal with that choice. She didn't want to risk Gangrel killing me after giving him the Emblem. She didn't want to give up what might one day save her people, both as an Exalt and as a sister who knew I'd never forgive myself. I couldn't protect her. I couldn't save her. She had to save me. Gods, why couldn't I _ever_ do anything for her?"

I chose not to answer. It didn't matter, really, because right now, no matter what I said, no matter how much I insisted he had, he wouldn't hear it. He wouldn't believe it. So, instead, I held him tightly, and let him cry. I tried to shift so that he could cry on my shoulder instead of my head, but he refused to let me go, so I decided to just keep holding him like this. Clearly, it was more of what he needed, and I wanted to focus on what _he_ needed, instead of my own fears and worries.

Chrom was in far more pain than I. Whatever comfort I could give, I wanted to.

* * *

 _Notes on Gaius:_

 _Class - Thief; Reclass - Myrmidon, Fighter_

 _A thief with a major sweet-tooth, with a heart of gold, though he admits to doing just about any job for the right price._

 _Fast and skilled, though not necessarily the strongest. He admits that he trained far more in stealth and speed, since strength isn't as important for a thief. Most super valuable things are light anyway._

 _He is normally calm and serious, though that breaks as soon as sweets are involved. He's also very wise, and makes a point to try and talk to everyone in the army. He also has nicknames for everyone._

* * *

Author's notes: I changed the chapter of this from the in-game 'Renewal' to 'Don't Say Her Name' since in game, this chapter also has an additional scene where everyone gets their second wind and their morale back (or, well, 'renewed'), but I am moving that scene to another chapter, so the title is no longer fitting. 'Don't Say Her Name' is the title of the song that plays throughout the whole battle in this chapter, marking one of the few times where there's a background music override in a Fire Emblem game, creating a very thematic chapter that is honestly one of my favorite FE chapters, period. (I think Awakening is the only game to have that in the series, and it does it twice: here and the final chapter. Could be wrong, though.)

Shadowgift appeared a couple of times last chapter, and in game, the skill is unique to Aversa, allowing her to use dark magic while not a dark mage/sorcerer. In story, however, I'm using it more as an innate 'genius', so to speak, for dark magic, since I'm not really limiting dark magic to classes so much as training (That is, dark mages and sorcerers are the only ones who can use dark magic because they're trained in it, NOT that they're the only ones capable of using it at all). Raven, Robin and Kestrel's mom, had it, which played a large part in why she was able to climb the ranks as a sage, but neither twin inherited it from her.

Mustafa noticing Olivia and letting her go comes from a side-story that was up on the Japanese official site, iirc. The idea of Chrom running off on his own, and getting surrounded, after killing Mustafa comes from a Chrobin comic done by Ticcytx (think they're on both tumblr and twitter under the same name, it's an adorable comic). As for all the crit quotes… fun fact! Every time I've played this chapter, despite not really using a lot of killer weapons for it, I've had _every_ unit make at least one crit on the map. Every. Time. It's hilariously appropriate. (Lissa and Maribelle are not combat units at this point in the story, so they don't have their crit quotes; I added Flavia's and Basilio's to show that they are technically fighting too)

Next chapter - Interlude, Morale


	19. Interlude - Morale

Interlude - Morale

* * *

 _We made it back to Ferox. Almost as if the gods were apologizing for everything, a blizzard swept along the path behind us, blocking our pursuers. Winter has come, far early, and with it, a strange melancholic hush. The 'distraction group' returned without a fuss, and the days pass, each hour feeling like a year or more. Everyone crumples bit by bit, the weight of our failure crushing them._

 _Gods, what am I supposed to do? Is this their punishment for being nice to Robin and me? Is it?_

* * *

"We've got confirmation that our pursuers have given up. I suppose last night's blizzard killing more than half their people finally convinced them that desert people have no business in snow." Flavia attempted to deliver the words lightly, but her tone clipped the edges and revealed how exhausted and frustrated she was. "Ah, this is a mess," she grumbled, leaning against the wall. "How are our Shepherds?"

"In need of herding," I deadpanned, sighing. I leaned against the window of her study, looking out over the vast whiteness. Too much snow for this early in the year. "It's going to be a long and bad winter, isn't it?"

"Yeah, so we're definitely not doing anything until spring's here." Flavia growled something else under her breath. "So, my insignificant other, what say you to all this mess?"

"Well, I think it was a loss, ultimately, but not as bad of one as we were worrying," Basilio answered. Amusingly, despite this room being _Flavia's_ office, he was the only one sitting. Then again, I'd wanted to look out the window and Flavia took to pacing when frustrated. "Got word from our spies. Between the attack on the capital, Midmire, and the snows, we've destroyed a large portion of their army, while we… lost about as much as expected, when taking into account the deaths of Captain Phila and the Ylissean prisoners, and Exalt Emmeryn. Sadly, though, the guard around Exalt Emmeryn's body remains too strong for mine to retrieve it." His spies had managed to get all the others, as best as they could in some cases, but Emmeryn's body was simply… out of reach. "Sorry."

"What about morale?" Flavia asked softly. She held herself stiffly, and I wondered if she was still feeling achy from the fighting. She'd refused healing. "Ours is damn low since we failed and don't even have the body."

"Hard to say, since Gangrel seems inclined to throw a damned _party_ for it, but…" He trailed off, thinking. "There were a couple of rumors. Some of the spies mentioned things like 'she seemed really sincere' and 'she died to protect her people'. A few of the other rumors talk of how their views of Ylisse were shaken when we made sure to get civilians out of the way. Gangrel's laughter after Exalt Emmeryn died makes a lot of them uncomfortable. They don't feel better now that she's dead. The use of corpses makes them worry that their own dead for be desecrated in the same way." He glanced at me. "Apparently, there's even a couple of rumors that specifically mention 'the Plegian duo' that were alongside Chrom. Not sure how they figured that out…"

"It's the eyes," I whispered. I thought again of that woman and that child. I hoped they were well. I thought of Mustafa, who'd recognized me based on my mother. I hoped his death had been quick. "At least, that's what I'm always told. Maybe it's just the face in general. We both took more after our mother in looks, though Robin had inherited our father's hair color, and we're full-blooded Plegian."

"Well, apparently _that's_ helping out Chrom too. Their morale is as shaken as ours," Basilio answered. He sighed. "So, it's a pyrrhic victory for whoever won. I'd say them since I think our morale is lower, but who the hell knows."

"Where did that term even come from?"

"Old Feroxi Khan." He gave me a weird look. "That was random."

"Sorry." I smiled slightly. "My mind has been spotty and jumpy. I was up late with Lissa."

"That reminds me…" Flavia murmured. She hesitated before nodding. "I've had my guards on watch for suicides. Have you noticed anything?"

"Thankfully, no. At least, nothing that's quick," I replied. I leaned more against the window. "But if we don't intervene soon, we're going to have some issues. More than half of the Shepherds aren't eating, even more aren't _sleeping_ , and yes, that means overlap."

"I wish I knew what to do. I've already tried what I knew." She tried dragging people out for exercise, chores, anything to get their bodies moving. But no one, not even Frederick, had been up for it. "Ferox tends to have a short mourning period since we're always fighting. Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt, but we, as a people, don't really do the whole 'extensive starvation' thing."

"We tend to treat the deaths of family and friends more like another weight to lug around," Basilio added, shaking his head. "It's always there. You got to work that much harder because that weight will always drag you down, and sometimes, it's too much, but you keep moving. But Ylisse clearly isn't like that. If it was, then they'd already be moving."

"Oh, so _that's_ where I learned that," I half-joked. Both of them managed little smiles. "Well, that and breaking down in tears, but I'm trying to actually hold it together for once." I looked back out the window, remembering how, the last time it snowed, everyone had a snowball fight. I wanted to see that again. "I think… I think, though, that we need to start pushing them. I'm note sure how long Ylisseans mourn and the like, but I wasn't kidding. Libra was telling me just the other day that he was worried about everyone's health."

"Do you mind if we leave that to you?"

"Yeah, sure." I smiled at them, and I knew it was tired. With both Chrom and Robin mourning, and Frederick constantly watching Chrom just in case, I'd somehow become the 'representative of the Shepherds' to anyone wanting to talk to them. Mostly, it was either people expressing condolences, people screaming about recklessness, and dealing with meetings with anyone and everyone who thought they had 'advice'. That was on top of staying up with some of the Shepherds because they couldn't sleep, or they were too dazed to be safely left alone. "I've an idea that I've been considering. But I'll first strike Robin out of his self-pity mourning."

"Like a brand to the ass?"

"Like a dagger to his ego." I pushed off the wall and stretched slowly. "I'll go do that while I'm sure I've the energy for it."

"Good luck, little miss." Basilio gave me a tired smile, and Flavia patted me on the back as I left the room.

This was going to take a lot of mental fortitude. I should read a poem about courage or something first.

* * *

I read a couple of my favorite poems before knocking on Robin's door. I knocked twice and got no answer, so I just opened the door anyway. Robin was sprawled out on his desk, candles melodramatically flickering as he stared out into space with dozens of crumpled papers thrown about the floor, with books half open and tossed aside. The room stank from sweat, mold, and stale food, with some molded food actually spilled onto the floor from where a bowl had toppled over. Honestly, it looked like he had hunted for the most angsty way to mourn someone in a book and copied it.

"Aren't you supposed to wait before entering?" Robin sighed, pushing himself up briefly to give me a dirty look. "What if I'd been changing?"

"Won't be anything I've never seen," I retorted instantly. "We bathed together as kids, and we've had to change clothes in front of each other before to tend to injuries." I shrugged. "Besides, you're my brother. It's not like seeing you naked is going to do anything to me."

"I don't have memory of that."

"Well, why should you feel weird at your sister seeing you naked? Unless there's someone who's caught your eye."

"Caught my eye?" Now he gave me a weird look before sighing. "Oh, romance. No, no one has. I think. How would I even know?"

"Ask Frederick. That's what I did." I closed the door behind me and leaned against it. "So, how are you?"

"I'm alive." The two words held all the bitterness in the world, and my heart ached. "Better than Emmeryn."

"That doesn't tell me how you are, or what you're thinking."

"It summarizes it nicely. After all, her death, Phila's death… It's my fault." He sighed, half-collapsing against the desk. "If I had planned better, then…"

"..." I closed my eyes and steeled my resolve. I _wanted_ to just hug him and tell him it would be okay. To reassure him. But I and others had tried that, and it hadn't worked, so instead… instead, I had to try a different tactic. "Robin, I have a serious question." I waited for some grunt of acknowledgement before continuing. "Did you ever think you could fail?"

"What?" He lifted his head slowly, giving me the strangest look. "I couldn't. Not with those stakes. I couldn't fail because everyone-"

"That's not what I asked." I did my best to look as stern as possible. "I asked if you even thought you _could_." I waited, but his wide-eyed look was answer enough. "You didn't. You arrogantly thought that you could outsmart them. You paid lipservice to the idea that something could fall apart, but you didn't make a plan to actually deal with that. You thought you would triumph, because you had faith, because you were the good guy fighting against the bad guy, like this was some children's story where things are sharply defined. But the world isn't like that. The world is far more ambiguous. In many people's eyes, Gangrel _was_ the 'good guy' trying to execute the evil 'witch queen'. Many had faith in him. You forgot that. No, you never even bothered remembering."

"I…" His shock faded for a look of… just lost. A lost look. "Kestrel, I…"

My heart ached, but remained certain. "It's not your fault that the Risen showed up. It's not your fault Gangrel used Emmeryn as a hostage. It's not your fault she chose to commit suicide to protect us and her people." I laughed bitterly. Frederick had told me similar things just the other day. "I mean… people keep telling me it's not _my_ fault she's dead, even though I was too slow and it was my words she used to line her path. So, if that's somehow not my fault, the rest of it isn't your fault either." I took a deep breath, and glowered slightly. "What _is_ your fault is that you never considered failure a possibility and took it into account. Not really. You made the motions, but didn't do anything. You blindly held onto faith, and in doing so, nearly turned the whole thing into a _total_ disaster instead of simply a disaster. Thankfully, Basilio had an escape route ready for us."

"That's…"

"But that's not what I'm here to scold you on. I'm here to scold you _for giving up_!" I started yelling then, the sound enough to make him jerk back like I'd slapped him. "Sitting in your room, moping and moaning as the snow falls, isn't doing a damn thing! You're going to let one failure stop you? Really? You are the Shepherd's tactician. You are Chrom's best friend. Yet one failure is enough for you to go 'nope!' and give up? That's a being a poor tactician, and a poorer friend."

"That's not…"

"What? That's not it? You're not giving up? Then get your head out of your ass and stop making her death about _you_." That was the other reason I needed to have this talk with him. These were words I knew I had to hear too. "Grieve her passing, but stop starving yourself trying to serve out some imaginary penance to her ghost just to make yourself feel better. You and I had never been ones to take the easy way out. If we were, we'd have killed ourselves a long time ago."

"So, what do you suggest I do?" Anger bled into his words, and though they almost made me flinch, they also made me happy. Because he was _finally_ reacting to something without melancholy. "In your oh-so-infinite wisdom?"

"You're a tactician. So, plan." I kept my tone blunt, and it was enough to make him stare again. "We have a whole winter. So plan. Come up with a thousand strategies, throw them all out, and come up with a thousand more. Expect failure and plan for it, instead of simply trusting that things will be well."

"...Gods, damn you for being right." He groaned, and leaned against his desk again. This time, it was to sulk at me. "Damn it."

"Too late. Gods damned us long ago." Still, I smiled at him. "You ready to actually take up your share of the leadership? Chrom's likely going to be out for a while longer."

"Of course he is. This is his sister, and he has to deal with the weight of being the Exalt on top of the weight of mourning." Robin groaned again and slowly stood up. He teetered, but caught himself on the back of his chair. "Holy hell, why am I dizzy?"

"You haven't eaten in two days, and I'm not sure you slept in that time either."

"That makes too much sense. Stop it."

"Sorry, not sorry." My smile softened. "I'm going to make food for everyone, though. You mind getting everyone to the dining room for me? Please?"

"Yeah, I'll handle that for you." He took a good look at my face, and then stumbled over to hug me. "I love you, sister."

"I know that." I hugged him back. "So-"

"No, quiet. Let me talk a bit." He tightened his hug. "I wasn't just… mourning Emmeryn. I was also trying to hide my own fear. 'What if you died like her?' That question kept echoing through my head. Over and over again. I saw her death, and then I'd see you dying the same way. Again and again. So, I… I became scared to plan. Not just because I failed, but because that failure could cost me you, just as my previous failure had cost Chrom _his_ sister."

"...Robin…" Tears pricked my eyes, and I rested my face against his shoulder. I was so used to death being close that I never considered how much _that_ would have bothered him. I almost took it for granted that I'd always survive. But I knew that fear. I'd felt it in the desert when the Grimleal attacked. But it had to be worse for him; he only had a few months worth of memories to draw from. "I'm here. I'm not so easy to kill."

"But it _could_ happen. It's not impossible. My failures could get any of us killed. This mission… I knew it theoretically, but this mission brought it in sharp relief. You even took a few bad injuries because everything went wrong. So..." He trailed off, and simply held me even tighter. "But… you're right. You're right, and damn it, I almost wish you weren't. I am the tactician for the Shepherds. I took that job, naively believing that I could never lose, but that only means I have to work that much harder to ensure it. And I am Chrom's friend. He's my best friend. I need to support him as he has supported me so many times. I need to support all the Shepherds as they support us."

"Yes. That's what friends are supposed to do. But if you need a hug, I'm here."

"Yeah." He sighed and leaned his head against mine. "Just a bit. Just a bit of reassurance."

"I'm not going away."

"Good. And I won't give up. Not from this. Just need another moment to get my feet back under me."

"Of course."

It was longer than 'a moment'. We ended up just sitting at his desk while I told some funny stories from the past, and some amusing things I'd seen that day, like Raimi slipping on some ice and falling on her ass. But it made him smile, and with each story, he got a little more life in his eyes. I could tell he used them to build his resolve, so that we'd once again have time for stories like this.

He and I had always been ones to rise to challenges out of sheer spite. I knew doing this would work. Now, I just had to help the others.

* * *

"How the hell are you so good at peeling potatoes, Lon'qu?" I laughed, watching at how efficiently he'd managed to get them all peeled. "That settles it! You're peeling all the vegetables!"

"The cooks back home always make him peel them too," Olivia shyly explained. She'd been the one who showed me where the kitchens were, and somehow, I'd ended up dragging her into my cooking spree. Both of us weren't really sure how Lon'qu ended up being here. "I think this soup needs a little more ginger."

"Does it?" Still kneading the dough for bread, I leaned over and let her spoon some for me. "Ugh, you're right… Libra?"

"Here," Libra offered, passing us some grated ginger. He smiled softly as he returned to his seat at the table. "But not more than that. Ginger is good for the stomach, yes, but too much will overpower the recipe."

"Got it~" Olivia and I chorused, giggling. The four of us were clustered in the kitchens, making a feast for the Shepherds, though Libra was here more as an advisor and to make sure none of us hurt ourselves too much. It was an unfamiliar kitchen and we were cooking new recipes, things that the church served to those who hadn't eaten a decent meal for a while.

As the pot of soup started bubbling, Olivia started humming. Since I recognized the song, the Raven and the Heron, I started singing it as well almost absently, and soon, Olivia and I were singing the song as a duet, punctuated by randoms bangs and whistles as various dishes let us know they were overheating or about to be done. I felt a surge of envy at how lovely her singing was, but soon just found myself having fun singing and cooking. She was like that.

"That is the fourth song you two have burst into," Lon'qu sighed. He passed me a basket of peeled potatoes to mix into the soup Olivia was making, and then started chopping up some apples for applesauce. "Fourth."

"The kitchen is the last place for silence," I replied dramatically. Olivia giggled in response. "Besides, what's wrong? Don't like our singing."

"No, your singing is pleasing. I just don't get why."

"Do you need a reason to start singing? Can't it just be fun?" I grinned as he grimaced slightly. "Whatever. Got a song request?"

"...Sakura, Sakura."

"That's from Chon'sin, isn't it?" My grin widened as I started to sing it. I knew my accent was horribly off, but I'd really only heard some children sing it while I passed through.

When I finished, Lon'qu actually had a small smile on his face. "I thought I stumped you with that one."

"Never underestimate a mercenary!" I giggled again and hesitated a bit before deciding to ask something. "You okay, though?"

"About?"

"You're in an enclosed space with two women." Though, Olivia and Libra were talking about dances right now. "I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I'm used to Olivia, and you give me tasks to keep my mind busy and my hands steady. I'm fine." He actually sighed a bit. "Maribelle has been… helping me."

"Why do I have a feeling she offered with her normal bluntness?"

"She pointed out that a little girl with a spoon could do me in."

"Yep, she did." Still, I laughed because that was _very_ much her. "Any suggestions?"

"None yet, but I will conquer this weakness."

"Trauma is not a 'weakness'. It is a scar that must be adapted to, though you can choose the adaptation to be avoidance, pushing through, or some sort of combination." I smiled at him when he glanced back at me. "If she gets too much, let Lissa or me know."

"...I will." He returned to his work, and I thought I saw a blush on his face. "The bread?"

"Right!" I darted for the oven and opened it up _just_ in time, by the look of how golden the bread was. "Alright! First batch of bread is ready for cooling!"

"Yay!" Olivia giggled, skipping over to lean over my shoulder and look at it. "Looks good! I bet the others will love it!"

"I'm sure they will," Libra called, smiling reassuringly at us. "You have put much time and love into the food, and the cheer you show while cooking will transfer to the food as well."

"In that case, we should sing another song! Libra, do you have a request or…?"

"...What's all this?" A raspy, quiet voice somehow managed to make it through all the noise, and when I turned to look, I realized Chrom was in the doorway, with a tired, but smiling, Robin beside him. "It… all smells really good," he murmured, looking around the bustling kitchens. He was paler than normal, with heavy bags under his eyes. But there was a small smile on his face. "Wow…"

"Would you like to try some?" I asked. Debating quickly, I took some of the fresh bread and tore off a couple of pieces for him and Robin. "Here." I smiled up at him. "Just made, so it'll be hot, but…"

"Looks great." Carefully, he nibbled on the bread piece. I noticed Robin just watching us with a smile. "Tastes better."

"There will be plenty more later for everyone." I hesitated a moment before reaching up and touching his cheek. "Why don't you and Robin go ahead and sit in the dining room? Or get everyone? Robin was supposed to do that for me, but you should..."

"I think I'll get Lissa, at least, and bribe her with the bread." He managed a laugh, and leaned briefly into my hand before stepping away. "Let's go, Robin."

"Right behind you," Robin reassured. He winked at me and the two headed off. I giggled, and went back to cooking, splitting up the torn bread among the rest of us to make sure it tasted as it should and joining in on the song Olivia launched into, a surprisingly bawdy tavern song she must've learned from Basilio. Even more amusingly, Libra joined in on that one, while Lon'qu looked like he wasn't sure to smile, laugh, or hit us over the head with his cutting board.

This was fun. Now to make sure dinner wasn't a disaster.

* * *

Dinner… ended up being chaotic, but for good reasons. It had initially started off awkwardly quiet, until Sumia accidentally broke a glass, somehow triggered a four person tripping spree that made us all laugh. That led to the normal teasing and jostling that I associated with the Shepherds, and calls for seconds and thirds. Many started crying, random bursts likely triggered from being overwhelmed, but others were quick to turn those tears into tears of laughter, and by the time dinner ended, it almost felt like the melancholy that had plagued us had lifted. No longer quite a shroud, more of a cloud. Still there, but not nearly as heavy.

"Brrr… it's cold," Sumia laughed, breath fogging up in front of her face. Her face was already pinkish from the cold. "Ah, I should've worn more."

"Ask Frederick for a scarf," I suggested, tucking the one he made me a little better around my neck. "He made this one, and maybe the knitting will help distract him."

"Maybe." She giggled, and we continued our little evening walk through the grounds. We moved slowly, to minimize the chances of slipping in the snow. "I've been trying to help him. He's a bit more forgetful for the moment, likely because of the strain on everything. I mean; he's even been leaving pebbles in the path!" She giggled, and I had to smile, even though I knew better than most how deep his pain had to be. He'd watched the woman he loved leap to her death, after all. "So, I try. I mess up a lot, but it seems to make him smile, so maybe it's not all bad."

"The tripping today proved to be the perfect icebreaker."

"Oh, that one was actually on purpose." She smiled sheepishly as I gave her a startled look. "I knew I could play it off, and I asked Flavia if the glass was important. I mean; I didn't quite plan to trip like _that_ , but I did plan on breaking it."

"I love you." I leaned into her, grinning. "You're the best."

"Hee~" She hooked her arm around mine. "I try to help Cordelia too, but I think Libra does it a bit better. He helps her with her nightmares, and scolds her for overworking."

"I'm sure you're doing a lot too, Sumia. Perhaps not so much with helping her overcome her trauma as Libra attempts, but in making her smile and making her trauma feel a little lighter."

"I hope so. Helping others keeps me from…" She trailed off, smile faltering. "I keep wondering if I should've gone up to support. I'd been in the back dealing with wyvern riders, but…"

"...I'm plagued with 'what-ifs' too." 'What if' I hadn't moved so slowly. 'What if' I hadn't told Emmeryn what I thought about the Emblem. "Fate was against us, though."

"But fate can be changed." She frowned, but her eyes were determined. "That's why I do my flower fortunes. A bad one just encourages me to keep my eyes out and do better. Even I can do that much."

"...I'm surrounded by weird people." I laughed a little, and she turned her frown my way. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it." The words of that laughing person still echoed through my head. I couldn't escape… I tried, but was it fruitless…? But giving in would doom all the Shepherds, and I couldn't do that… "Just… tied to why Robin and I were on the run in the first place."

"If you're sure…" She studied my face a bit before leaning over and pressed her cheek to mine affectionately. "Well, I think we can change destiny together! So, whatever you're worried about, we're here, okay?"

"I know." I smiled at her, touched. "It's why I'm still here."

"Good." She smiled back, and then gasped. "Oh, look!" She held out her hand and a little tiny snowflake landed on her palm. "It's snowing again."

"It is." I looked up at the sky and saw more snowflakes fluttering down. "When it calms, we should have another snowball fight."

"We should. It'll be fun." She giggled again and dropped her hand. "We should probably head… inside…" She trailed off, smile falling for another frown. "Is that… a person?"

"What?" I leaned more into her and she pointed to the shadow of a person carrying some bulky thing. "...Get the guards. I'll see who the hell they are."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." I stepped away from her. "Be quick?"

"I will." She hesitated a moment before nodding and rushing off, slipping a bit in the snow as she did. I focused my attention on the person and carefully approached, wishing I'd thought to wear a sword. It was stupid to just 'assume' we'd be safe here, even with the guards and snow. That wouldn't stop an assassin, after all.

I studied the person as I got closer. Long, white-threaded gold-blonde hair tied back in a ponytail. Tarnished silver armor that was dented in some places. A silver hilted sword on the hip. When they looked up, I saw silver and sapphire earrings sparkling in their ears, and tired red eyes that seemed too old for their face. If I had to guess, they were in their early forties, but the eyes reminded me a lot of old, tired mercenaries.

"Oh, good, I was wondering how I was going to catch someone's attention," they said lightly. Their smile was worn, but kind. "I wanted to bring her here." She set the bulky burden onto the snow. I saw it was fairly large, wrapped in a tattered blue cloak or cape. "Didn't want that poor child to do anything to her."

"Her?" I repeated. I hesitated a bit before approaching. I kept an eye on the sword as I knelt down and carefully peeled off the top layer of the cape. I nearly screamed when I was greeted with a mangled, smashed face, and then I nearly cried when I realized there was only _one_ thing about the face that was recognizable: the Mark of Naga on the forehead, all but hidden under the blood and gashes. "Emmeryn…" I set the cloth back over her face, and swallowed back tears. "You…" I looked up at the person, who watched me closely, yet sadly. "You got her body? Really?"

"Oh, it wasn't hard." They shrugged, as if it really _wasn't_ hard, despite the fact that every single one of Basilio's spies, trained in stealth, failed to do the same. "Just soldiers. Beat them up. No big."

"You fought through a bunch of soldiers, won, and escaped…" I shook my head, incredulous laughter bubbling to my lips. "Who even are you?"

"Someone who should've been closer, and now, just doing what I can." They shrugged. "Anyway, here's her body. You should take it inside."

"You should come with me. Chrom will want to thank you."

"...I don't have the right to speak with him." They shook their head. "I feel bad about leaving the cape since it was a gift, but Emm's worth the loss. Take her to her family. I'll make sure to deal with any pursuers stupid enough to follow me." They suddenly leaned down and peered at my face. "What's your name?"

"Kestrel." I studied her expression, but found next to nothing. Tired. Sad. It was like those two things were so much a part of them that there was no way to escape either. "Why?"

"No reason." They smiled, slow, bitter, and sad. But there was some genuine happiness in the smile. "Just curious. I'll be off." They turned away, not pausing one bit, quickly disappearing down the snowy path. I watched them leave, trying to figure out just who the hell they were. It wasn't until much later, after Sumia had returned with some guards and we got Emmeryn's body inside that I realized something that _should_ have startled me, but I'd been too distracted to catch in time.

They'd called Emmeryn 'Emm'. But only Chrom and Lissa called her that, right?

* * *

Flavia and Basilio graciously allowed us to borrow the mausoleum, where Ferox laid their Khans to rest (or their memorials if the body was unretrievable), so that everyone could pay their respects to Emmeryn's body. I insisted on keeping the body wrapped, letting Frederick see only when he half-begged. Afterwards, he'd agreed with me, but suggested leaving the option to at least see the face. I'd reluctantly compromised on it, but worked with Libra to get a lot of ginger concoctions ready, just in case. By the time everyone finished, we'd had to make three more batches. Everyone had wanted to, despite my warnings. I couldn't even pretend to be frustrated, though. Seeing the face made it far more 'real'.

"So, there it is," Chrom whispered. After the viewing, we'd all moved into the dining hall where we'd just had such a fun little dinner. Now, though, the melancholy had returned, the cloud pressing heavily on everyone, threatening to become a shroud again. "She really is gone." Most of us were sitting at the tables, but Chrom stood apart. The idea was for him to make a speech, but it was clear actually seeing the body had robbed him of what energy he might've had. "You all fought brilliantly in that battle. I…" He hesitated, and it half-looked like he was going to collapse. I stood up from my seat to go to him, but I saw Robin do the same, so instead, I simply moved to the back of the room. "Sorry. I'm sorry, everyone. I'm sorry for being so powerless, and..." He trailed off, clearly losing the energy to try and form a coherent sentence, based on how he swayed and struggled to stay on his feet. The mood of the room dampened further, and I sighed, wondering if Emmeryn's death was going to be too much to overcome.

"Chrom." But then Robin spoke up, in a voice that was soft, yet sure. "Chrom, raise your head and look at me," he whispered. He smiled when Chrom briefly glanced at him. "No, I don't mean just glance at me. Really look." He held his arms out slightly as Chrom turned to face him, silently emphasizing his words. "Why are you talking as if you're the only one who felt powerless back then? Or ever? I know that feeling. I felt it then too, but I knew it from before. Standing n a field alone with no memory of anything, lost and confused. But then someone offered me their hand to help me up. Do you remember?

"...Yes, but…"

"And now, look at me! Here I am, tactician with a bunch of really good friends. I'm still hopelessly weak, powerless, but with everyone, I'm someone who can _be_ strong." He rested a hand on Chrom's shoulder, though Chrom looked away. "Alone, we might not be half the person Emmeryn was. She was older, after all, and had a lot of responsibilities to shape her and her beliefs. But, together, I think we can become something greater. I think she knew that too." He gestured at all of us gathered in the room. "You don't have to become her, you know. You can still be yourself. We're all here _because_ you're yourself, after all. You just have to give the people hope, however you can."

"And what if I can't?" Chrom's voice sounded so small. "What if I'm not worthy of her ideals? What if…" His voice cracked. "What if I drag you down with me?"

"Well, then we both hit the ground, laugh at the bruises, and pick ourselves up. That's what friends are for, right?" Robin grinned and he looked out over all of us. "Come on, people. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way."

"Of course not!" Nowi cheerfully agreed. She leapt onto a table to make sure she could be seen. "I mean, did you forget? I wouldn't be here if not for everyone!" She smiled and even laughed. "I'd be running through the desert scared out of my mind!"

"Besides, it wasn't Emmeryn who gave her trust to me, it was you," Tharja added, stepping out of the shadows. It was the first time I'd gotten a proper look at her, given how chaotic everything had been, and she looked almost annoyed she had to say anything. "So, you have mine. For now."

"As you have mine," Lon'qu, surprisingly, agreed. He actually stood up, though it was simply to move to the pillar nearby and lean against it. "You told me that your Shepherds joined voluntarily, and I did so. Were you unworthy, I would have left long ago and returned to my Khan."

"My, my, if even taciturn Lon'qu speaks up, then I must as well," Virion dramatically sighed. His smile was kind, though. "It takes great courage and charisma to unite such a diverse people. I think that is proof enough that you stand worthy. Trust me, I have the traits myself!"

"As if," Ricken snarked. He stood up on the table next to Nowi, ignoring how Virion gasped and pretended to be insulted. "But Chrom, you're like a hero to us. We really look up to you."

"Everyone…" Chrom breathed. He looked around, and as he did, something hilarious happened. Most of the Shepherds started climbing onto the tables too. I had no idea _why_ , but it was a little inspiring to see. It was like they were elevating themselves above their broken selves, or stepping into the cloud of melancholy and demanding it get out of their face. "You…" He looked each of them in the eye, as if seeing them for the first time, and finally, he smiled. It was still a little sad, and a little broken, but it was beautiful and captivating. "Ah, I'm an idiot. Why should I flail about? I have you to keep me from falling, don't I? I'm sorry for being so blind."

"Remember that next time I give you advice," Robin teased. He grinned, but I could see he looked ready to cry, because it wasn't _just_ Chrom the Shepherds were looked at with warmth and loyalty. It was also him, and that meant so much to him. "So? My Captain… no, my _Exalt_ …" Robin took a step back and knelt down. "What is our goal?"

"..." Chrom's smile faded for a look of grim determination, and the whole room held its breath. "My Shepherds… my warriors… my friends. There is, unfortunately, more work still to be done. We lost my sister, but we have not lost this war yet. Gangrel must fall for the safety of not only our homeland, but also for Plegia's. My goal is to rid the world of his madness." He took a deep, shaking breath, hesitated a moment, and then pressed on. "But you are my Shepherds. As Lon'qu said, everything about our organization is voluntarily. So, I ask… are you willing to still help me?"

"I'm in!" Lissa replied, barely even given Chrom time to finish the question. Her eyes flashed as she punched the air. "I'm sick of crying and being weak. It's time to punch Gangrel's stupid face in!"

"Hear hear, darling!" Maribelle added. She twirled her parasol almost like it were a rapier and pointedly stabbed the table next to her. "The people have suffered enough! We'll show them just what it means to anger a healer!"

"Precisely! Who else is with us?"

"I am. As I swore the day I became a knight, I will gladly fight and die for House Ylisse," Stahl declared, face uncharacteristically serious. He jumped off the table and took two steps forward to kneel before Chrom. "I'll swear it again, to the new Exalt, a ruler I will follow to hell itself."

"Though we'll be sure to send those bastards ahead of us," Sully agreed. She leapt down and knelt beside Stahl. "Gladly will I fight and kill them for House Ylisse. Always."

"I will be the unbreakable shield by your side," Sumia stated firmly. She climbed down carefully, and knelt beside Sully. "I have taken no official vows, but I will make them now, as a pegasus knight and Shepherd of Ylisse!"

"And I will renew my own vows as well," Cordelia said, jumping from the table to kneel beside Sumia. "I failed before, but I will not do so again, my lord Exalt."

"And I too, speak my oaths again." It took a second to realize Kellam was there, but he knelt solemnly among the group of knights. "For the new Exalt, and for the country he will lead," he whispered. "I promise to serve until my dying day."

"Our hearts echoes yours, sire," Libra added after a slight pause. He smiled gently as he stepped down and bowed low. "We are here for you."

"Teach is here, and class is in session!" Vaike laughed. He moved to simply sit on the table, and grinned. "We've got this, Chrom."

"Yeah, this group is far too sweet to stop here," Gaius commented. He also sat on the table, smirking, though in his case, like the other not-official-Shepherds, he hadn't been standing in the first place. "Besides, you all pay _nice_."

"Yes, good payments are always nice," Gregor laughed. His eyes were warm as he nodded. "So, Gregor be staying a while longer, yes?"

"I will stay as well," Panne whispered. She stayed off to the side, but there was a small smile on her face as everyone looked to her. "Your sister earned my respect, proving that her words were no mere wind. It is only right that the last taguel champion her."

"...Ha… everyone has grown up so much," Frederick murmured. He smiled gently, though he also looked ready to cry. "You've grown strong." He walked forward and knelt in front of Chrom. "I have set a poor example for how a knight should act, but I swear that I will die before failing again, my lord. As always, you have my lance, until the day I fall."

"...Damn it, I'm going to cry," Chrom half-joked. Somehow, it just built on the tension in the air. "You honor me with your fealty." He closed his eyes, and a tear did slip down his face. But when he opened his eyes, they were filled with determination and resolve. "I will not falter again. I swear this to you all, here and now." Across the room, his eyes caught mine, and I smiled softly at him. His own smile grew triumphant in response. "We will gather our strength. We will marshall our forces. We will bring the full might of our people onto the Mad King's head, and strike him down to free our lands!"

The entire group cheered, loud enough to actually shake the dust from the rafters. And scare a couple of the servants, who'd been coming in to let people know that baths were ready. It took a while to calm them down, and get people off the tables, and then organize where and how Emmeryn's body would be stored until it could be safely moved back to Ylisse. _Then_ it was a matter of convincing people that yes, they did have to go to bed, and that they could do their new training and drills in the morning.

After _all_ of that, I finally managed to stumble back into my room, and had planned on simply sprawling on the bed and passing out. However, I noticed there were two pieces of paper on the nightstand by the bed, and when I picked them up, I found they were poems. One was ' _Oh, Captain, My Captain_ ', a favorite of mine, handwritten beautifully, with little feathers along the side, suggesting someone had taken the time to copy it carefully. The second, written in the same handwriting, was another poem, and one I didn't recognize, that almost seemed to be from the point of view from the 'Captain's' successor, and how grateful he was. It, took, was decorated with little feathers along the side.

This… couldn't be from Chrom, right? There was no way he had the time to do any of this today. But as I smiled and I read the poems, I wondered who else it could be from. Only Chrom, Robin, and Sumia knew I even liked the poem. Out of those three, Chrom was the only one I knew of who also _wrote_ poems, and the words just seemed so fitting, all things considered. What did it mean, then, that he'd left me two? If it meant what I thought, was now even a proper time to ask? I had no idea.

But they made me smile, and for the first time since Emmeryn died, I went to bed giggling and giddy, instead of exhausted and drained. I could live with that.

* * *

 _Notes on Cordelia:_

 _Class - Pegasus Knight; Reclass - Mercenary, Dark Mage_

 _A recent pegasus knight of Ylisse, Sumia's best friend, and the sole survivor of the initial border guard. She tries to downplay the trauma by overworking, which Libra scolds her for. Constantly._

 _She's strong and fast, though it must be admitted that she's slower than Sumia. Capable of using just about every weapon to some small degree, and according to Tharja, shows a potential for dark magic, which is worrying._

 _Though she's considered a genius, she can be an absolute idiot about self-care, and a busybody. Her perfectionism leads her to constantly do things herself, and a strong dislike of being pitied leads her refusing help, even when she needs it._

* * *

Author's Notes: So, the very last part of this chapter is the scene that normally follows Chapter 10 directly, where everyone gets their second winds. _Oh, Captain, my Captain_ is a poem by Walt Whitman that was mentioned in a previous chapter. ...everyone standing on the table simply _started_ as simply little jokes on how Nowi and Ricken were short, but turned into a homage to the final scene of _Dead Poet's Society._ As for the mysterious woman, well, those who read _Shadows of the Exalt_ can certainly guess who it was.

Lon'qu and Maribelle's supports focus on her trying to help him through his phobia, and actually provide a lovely progression from C to S (plot wise, I mean); the actual comment about a little girl with a spoon comes from their B support. Libra's supports with Cordelia more or less revolve around him scolding her for pushing herself too much. Fun fact, Cordelia holds the honor of being the only character outside of the Avatar to be able to wield _every_ weapon, counting dark magic as a separate weapon class (Ricken and Virion technically can as well, except they _cannot_ wield dark magic. Cordelia can). Also fun fact, Cordelia doesn't get a line during the rousing scene in game, and neither does Gaius. I had to add that! (I also made Kellam's a little less amusing.) Technically, Flavia, Basilio, and Olivia all have things to say during that scene as well, but I'm moving those to later chapters. 'Sakura, Sakura' is a folk song popular in Japan, that I _think_ became popular in the Meiji period? Not sure.

As for Emm's body being brought back? I am considering the Spotpass Paralogues 'non-canon' for this novelization. Well, most of them. I'll be doing Priam's, albeit at an earlier time than the game allows, and I _might_ bring in some concepts/bosses from those paralogues, but due to not wanting to figure out how to logic them within the story, we're going with 'non-canon'.

Next Chapter - Winterlude 1


	20. Winterlude - Poems

Winterlude 1 - Poems

* * *

 _Winter creates a gentle hush over the world here in Ferox. The snow makes it hard to go outside, but luckily, the place is big and there is a lot to do, so no one has gone stir-crazy yet. The focus is mostly on training, getting stronger and the like, and gathering information. Spreading rumors, shaking enemy morale, building our own, getting aid to Ylisse while away… that sort of thing. We have all winter to plan for the next assault._

 _Maybe if we're lucky, we can end this with just one more battle. Maybe._

* * *

Every day. It had been a week and a half, maybe closer to two weeks, since Emmeryn's body was returned and everything got their second wind. And, _every day_ , I got two poems. One in the morning, a painstakingly and beautifully done copy of a favorite, and one in the evening, an original work that often followed similar themes to the favorite. I smiled like an idiot while I read them several hundred times, and I carefully kept them together, half-wanting to bind them together in a book to make it easier to keep safe.

"Should I confront him or not?" I whispered to myself, tucking the latest poems into the small pile I had on my desk. I was almost certain it was Chrom writing these, but I'd be _mortified_ if I was wrong. Or if this was some sort of 'proper' thing that I didn't know about. Was I allowed to confront? I wanted to ask, but I wasn't sure _who_ to ask. It seemed mean to ask Sumia, Frederick was busy with managing everyone's new training schedules… Lissa was an option, but there was something just… odd about asking your crush's little sister if he was trying to court you. "Oh, but Maribelle…" Maribelle was certainly an option, and more to the point, while she'd be blunt about it, she'd also be honest.

The problem, of course, came from gathering the courage to broach the subject. But, as I shook my head and stashed the poems into the drawer, I decided that I wasn't going to get anywhere but another mess in my head if I didn't try to figure this out. As much as I liked the poem, the… ambiguity was going to drive me nuts. So, after taking a deep breath, and jumping a few times to pretend I was peppier than I was, I stepped out of my room, making sure to close the door behind me.

To my surprise, though, Maribelle was actually in the hall, with Cordelia. Both of them looked vexed about something, and when they focused their attention on me, I suddenly had a very, _very_ bad feeling.

"Ah, there you are, darling," Maribelle greeted, her voice mostly friendly. The way she pointedly looked at Cordelia, though, but the tone fall a little flat. "Do you mind telling this blind harpy that Lissa is far superior to that addlepated butterfingers she calls a friend."

"No, Kestrel, please tell _this_ ignorant fool that Sumia is far superior to someone who has the naivety and idiocy to pick one such as _her_ as a friend, Kestrel," Cordelia growled. She glared at Maribelle and I tried to wrap my head around what was going on. This was _not_ something I expected. "With a smile that outshines the sun, kinder and funnier than anyone…"

"Ha! Unintentionally! My dear's wit is exceptional and intentional, with as bright of a smile without the blunders to go with it!"

"With a myriad of pranks and lack of sense instead."

"How _dare_ you!"

"What is going on?" I asked, instead of just running like a smart person. "And why am I being dragged into it?"

"You are a neutral party, darling," Maribelle explained. She didn't even look at me. She just glared daggers at Cordelia, who returned it with such an intensity that I wondered if there was going to be some sort of fire. Or a passionate kiss. "So…"

"So, are we talking best friends like the names imply, or dolls like the words imply?" I sighed as both of them gave me startled looks. "Honestly, who compares people like that? Don't we have enough troubles without you two arguing about who is the 'better' best friend? Are you going crazy from being trapped inside?" The howling wind of the latest blizzard rattled the nearby windows, emphasizing my point. "There's no way you two will come to an agreement. You're not only comparing your best friends like trophies and titles to be won, but we're dealing with your respective _first_ friends, the friends that changed your lives forever and helped shape you into what you are. This entire argument is groundless from the start, and it would behoove you to simply… I don't know… just hang out with your friends. Make a tea out of it or something."

"...Mmm…" Maribelle glanced at Cordelia, and then suddenly smiled. "I think I'd give that a seventy-five percent," she suddenly declared. I gave her a weird look, but she ignored me for Cordelia. "What do you think?"

"I'd go with eighty-five personally, as the use of intimate knowledge does much to touch the spirit," Cordelia replied. She smiled sweetly. "I think that would soothe."

"Fair point. Shall we average the two for an eighty then?"

"Yes, that sounds good."

"What the hell?" I half-demanded. I felt horribly out of place as the two smiled and giggled. They had _literally_ been glaring at each other just three seconds ago. "You two were just…"

"We had already come to an accord with this argument prior, but realized it would be good practice for you," Cordelia explained. She still smiled gently. "It's a skill you need to develop, defusing arguments."

"Among other things," Maribelle sighed. She tsked, for some reason, and gave me a once over. "We also need to work on dancing and courtly manners, how to dress… there's a lot to do, so we thought we needed to get a jump on it."

"...You two…" I began. I tried to think of what else to say. "Is now really the time?" The problem was that I had no idea how to react. I knew _why_ they thought I needed these 'lessons', and I couldn't decide if I was happy or annoyed that they simply took it as a given that I'd need them. It wasn't as if Chrom and I had the time to sit down and talk about… anything… "Ugh, whatever. I don't care." This time, though, annoyance won out. "I'm going to go train." I stomped past them, ignoring their little yelps of protest.

"Oh, darling, I'm sorry!" However, Maribelle caught up with me quickly, wrapping her arm around mine. "I promise I was… well, never mind that. I've upset you, and thus, I must apologize first."

"It's…" I sighed, relenting. It was hard to stay mad, especially since Cordelia came up on the other side to give me a one armed hug. "Sorry. It's all so ambiguous."

"Is it?" She frowned. "Well, clearly, I need to give Chrom a stern lecture about not properly courting."

"...Well, actually, that's…" I paused, trying to think. I felt awkward, talking about this, especially in front of Cordelia, but she looked rather eager to hear. "I've been receiving poems?"

"Oh!" Maribelle's frown dropped for a smile, and Cordelia actually squealed in delight. "Tell me more, my dear!"

The hesitant conversation turned into having a morning tea with the two, and Cordelia sighing gustily as I explained the poems, and Maribelle analyzing every little bit. I spent most of the time as red as an apple, but I had to admit it was pretty fun. And reassuring. Very, very reassuring.

* * *

After the tea, I intended to go and train like I'd originally said. But on the way to the practice grounds, I ran into Lissa, who'd just finished her axe training with Libra, and she all but begged to have lunch with me. I couldn't refuse, and so, she and I had a light meal where I made sure she drank a lot of water. Sumia ended up joining us too, mostly because we passed her along the way, and after lunch, the three of us just… hung out in Lissa's room, reading. Sumia and I read poems, of course, while Lissa… Lissa read our favorite book.

"Wait, but what does this even mean?" Lissa asked, whining a bit as she passed the _Ribald Tales of the Faith War_ to Sumia. "It was talking about kissing, and then suddenly a beautiful flower?"

"W-well, um…" Sumia began. She turned very red, though, and I nearly fell out of my chair laughing when I realized what was going on. "You see, Lissa… um…"

"Sex," I noted bluntly. It was worth how red both of them went. "They're having sex, Lissa. Just skip the next couple of pages."

"Kestrel!"

"It _is_! I'm surprised that scene didn't show up during that girls' night we had and Miriel read them aloud."

"She's in the second generation."

"Oh, wow, you went fast."

"It really is interesting, gratuitous sex scenes aside," Lissa mumbled. She was red all the way to the roots on her hair. "The ones in the first generation were pretty blunt, though. What's with the metaphors?"

"Who knows?" I replied, shrugging. I grinned, though. "It's hilarious to see your reaction, though!"

"Kestrel!" Lissa pouted, and I snickered. "Oh, whatever. I'm in 'For Whose Sake'."

"Oh, so you have two chapters left." I leaned back in my chair, and glanced out the window into the gardens below. The blizzard had cleared up sometime during morning tea, and a few brave souls were actually walking through the snow. "Shouldn't be long."

"Are you sure? Because these chapters are _long_. I feel like I've been reading this chapter for _days_ , and I'm maybe halfway through."

"Yes, well…" I shrugged, losing focus on the conversation as I noticed something interesting. Robin and Olivia were actually chatting below, with him clearing some snow off a bench so that she could sit. She seemed almost embarrassed while he laughed at something, and I could only smile. I tapped the window, and waved when both of them looked up. Robin waved back with a giant grin, while Olivia's smile turned shyer.

"What's caught your eye?" Sumia appeared at my shoulder, and waved too when she saw Robin and Olivia. "Oh, that's the second time I've seen them hanging out. Olivia was discussing something about a theater?"

"Well, she _is_ a dancer, so maybe a show?" I asked. I smiled up at her, and shrugged. "I'll bring it up later. It's good that he's heading outside. He needs the fresh air." He's taken my suggestion of 'planning' almost too seriously, requiring people to actively drag him from his room. At least he went along with it. "I wonder if the snow will stay clear long enough for everyone to play outside."

"I can go ask Flavia what she thinks." Sumia hopped back and giggled. "It'll be fun."

"True." I laughed as well. "Though, hopefully, we won't have weird people showing up."

"It worked out. But I'll be right back!" She scampered off, tripping twice before even leaving the room, and I laughed, watching her leave. As she did, though, I remembered the 'weird person' who we'd seen. The one who brought back Emmeryn's body, who also called Emmeryn 'Emm'. It still struck me as bizarre. So bizarre that…

"Hey, Lissa?" I called. I waited for her to make some sort of noise in acknowledgement, and still hesitated. She was completely engrossed in her book, holding up to her face even. "Do you mind if I ask something odd?" Another agreement noise. "Who all called Emmeryn 'Emm'?"

"That's… a weird question," Lissa replied after a moment. She set her book in her lap, and looked up at the ceiling, clearly thinking. "Well, so long as I've been around? Just Chrom and me. Emm only lets… let... family call her that." She shrugged. "So, I guess our parents, and Clara too? Maybe."

"...Clara?"

"Yeah. You know her, right? I'm sure Chrom's mentioned her." She did pause, and only continued when I nodded. "I never met her or anything, but I know how Emm saw her as her aunt. It makes sense that she'd use the nickname." She sighed gustily. "Wish I could've met her. She was supposed to be _super_ pretty. Blonde hair and red eyes, and always dressed in silver armor with a blue cape…"

"...I see." I tried to think of what else to say. But that description… matched the lady who had retrieved Emmeryn's body for us. "Thanks. Sorry for the weird question." If it was Clara… then it was clear that no matter what else, she at least was doing what she felt she _could_ for her 'nieces and nephew'. Even if she kept apart. "Oh, here's a poem I wanted to show you. Come over here."

As Lissa moved to sit beside me, resting her head on my shoulder, I decided to keep that suspicion quiet. It felt like what Clara had wanted, and I wasn't sure if the knowledge would help or hurt them. So, I'd stay silent. Sometimes, the truth was more painful anyway.

* * *

Sumia had returned to happily explain that Flavia was certain the blizzards wouldn't pick up for another week. Almost immediately, we started gathering the Shepherds to head out for a snowball fight, laughing as we all fussed over each other to make sure we didn't freeze completely. Lines were drawn, teams were formed, and it turned into a strange free-for-all in the end anyway, with everyone shrieking from cold and laughter.

"I can't believe you got hit with a rock," I sighed, dabbing some vulnerary on the gash Chrom had on his temple. Someone, no one knew who, had accidentally caught a rock in their snowball and it hit Chrom hard. "I knew we should've stopped sooner." The snowball fight had continued long after the sun had set, by torchlight. Small wonder that a rock got caught in the snow.

"Everyone was having fun," Chrom protested. He winced as the vulnerary disinfected the wound, but made sure to smile at me. "And who knows when we'll next be able to go outside?"

"I doubt it was much fun seeing you bleed suddenly." Almost everyone had panicked. "I think Frederick is going to clear every single pebble before the next one."

"Well, it'll be nice for him to get back to normal, even if he fusses too much." He made a face, and then glanced at the door. Frederick _had_ been here not all that long ago, but he'd left when he saw I was tending to the injury. "Coming right to my room… I'm not eight anymore."

"No, but you _were_ injured, and he did just lose Emmeryn." I shifted in my chair to get more comfortable, and nudged him to not move back. He was sitting on the bed, after all, so if he moved much more, I wouldn't be able to reach the injury without awkwardly leaning over him. "He loves you two dearly."

"...Yeah, and we love him. It's why I wish he'd relax, and live his own life." He sighed. "Oh, whatever. He and I need to have a proper talk anyway, about… everything."

"I'm sure." If nothing else, some of their dynamics would _have_ to change. Chrom would become the Exalt. I had little doubts that Frederick would be his right hand, but there had to be some formal things to go along with it. "And, done." I set the vulnerary on the floor and stood up, stretching a little as my legs protested. "Just let me get a bandage on it."

"I keep some in my desk." He nodded to it for emphasis, and made to stand. "Here, I'll-"

"No, you stay put. You're the injured." I laughed a little and went to the desk, pulling a drawer open at random. "So, this one or-"

"W-wait, not that one!" Chrom was suddenly at my side, a hand on my shoulder to try and pull me away. "Kes, seriously, I'm not _so_ injured that…"

He said something else. I knew he did. But everything just… faded away as I stared at what was in the drawer. A half-written poem within, with the same feather drawings on the side as all the others. Original, following the same themes as the one I'd gotten this morning, remaining strong in adversity.

"Hey, Chrom?" I whispered, looking up at him. He wouldn't look at me, instead just looking at the floor with a dark-red blush. "You're the poem writer."

"I… um… yes?" he replied. His voice was a little squeaky. "I am."

"Hee… I thought so." I smiled, and it grew as his blush darkened further. "After all, you're the only one in the army who knows _this_ many of my favorite poems."

"W-well, I thought I'd… try my hand, and um…" He visibly groped for more words before shrugging. "Do… you like them?"

"I love them. I'm going to make a book of them to have with me always."

"I'm glad…" He smiled shyly, still not quite looking at me. "It… has been a bit since I've written some poems."

"What made you start? I don't think I asked that."

"It _started_ because of proper manners classes, but Emm…" His smile faltered, but he pressed on. "Emm liked the ones I wrote. They made her smile. So…"

"That's super sweet." I laughed, thinking of how like _him_ it was, but as the sound faded, a thought occurred to me. "Chrom?" I waited for him to look at me, and even then, I almost lost my nerve. "You… mentioned you had wanted to tell me something. When we were camping in the desert. I…" I hesitated a bit, looking down as his expression slowly became serious. "I wasn't sure about bringing it up, since… well, you can probably figure out. Given everything that happened and… all. But…" My face started to burn, and I wanted to look up, but it seemed like I'd dropped all my nerves on the floor, since it held my gaze so completely. "I do… want to hear what it is. If… you're still willing to tell me, I mean."

"...Yeah." He walked closer, and touched my cheek gently, tilting my face up. His face was as red as mine now. "I…" He tried to say more, but while his mouth moved, it seemed like he couldn't pick out the words he wanted. His face got redder and redder, and mine did as well as I waited and waited. "Oh, screw it." He bent down suddenly and gently, very gently, brushed his mouth against mine. I froze, startled, but he didn't seem to notice as he pulled back far enough to look at me with an intense, but warm, gaze. "I love you. I've fallen in love with you, Kes, and honestly, I half-think I have been since we first met, but hell if I paid attention. Emm's right. I blocked out any crushes and the like out of guilt for what she had to deny for duty, but that's… not what she wanted and…" He sighed. "I'm rambling about unimportant things." He paused, still watching me. I stared back, more than half convinced I was dreaming. "Kes?"

"...I think you made my brain stop." I hesitated, glancing towards the moonlight filtering in through the window for some sort of distraction. Finding none, though, I decided to be a little bold. "Maybe another k-kiss will make it start again?"

"...I can oblige." This time, though, while he leaned forward, he didn't completely close the gap. Either waiting for secondary permission, or just… a confirmation that this was something I wanted to. So, I leaned up and tried to kiss him. I misjudged, though, and accidentally clacked my teeth against his. Before I had time to be mortified, though, he smiled, laughed slightly, tilted his head, and kissed me warmly and soundly.

I closed my eyes instinctively, feeling my pulse thunder in my ears. I gripped the front of his shirt tightly, and felt his heart beat rapidly, almost as fast as it would during a fight. His hands slid around my waist, one resting there while the other slid up my back, making me shiver, before tangling in my hair. He pulled away briefly, his breath ragged against my face, and then he leaned in again for another kiss. I leaned into him, trying to get as close as possible, and he clung almost desperately to me, even as we both pulled away, staring at each other as we both tried to decide if we wanted to go for a fourth kiss or not.

Shakily drawing in a breath, I looked down and rested my head against his shoulder. His pulse was still so fast under my fingers, and I absently smoothed the cloth there, as if that could help calm it down. I was pretty sure that wouldn't be the case, though. My own pulse thudded, loud enough that I was afraid he'd hear it too.

"I… love you too," I whispered when I thought I had enough breath to form coherent words. Chrom tightened his hug on me. "I had to ask Frederick to figure it out, though."

"No wonder he nearly died of laughter when I talked to him earlier," he murmured. He pulled back slightly, and smiled warmly at me. "I… the courts are harsh, and we've a lot of reconstructing to do. But, if you're willing…"

"I worry that I'll bring you more trouble." I tried to look down, but he cupped my cheek and tilted my face back up to look at him. "There's no way your nobles will accept a Plegian mercenary with no past."

"I'm sure you'll dazzle them as you have me." He smiled slightly as I rolled my eyes. "If you're willing to bear the duties…"

"I'm willing, but I don't… oh, we're going to argue in circles at this rate." I sighed and leaned into him again. "I do… want to be with you, though. I love you. I… I want to stay with you. If you think I can be a good enough queen, then…" I thought of all the Shepherds and how much advice and reassurance they'd given me. I thought of how, just this morning, Maribelle and Cordelia had done what they could to help me. "Then maybe, I should just trust in the people I love, and just focus on what I want."

"...And I will follow my heart, just as Emm wanted." He tightened his hug. "I will make the castle a happy home for us, though. I'll do whatever I can to make sure you smile every day."

"And I will figure out how to be a queen, so that no one thinks you're simply mad with love."

"Well, I am, but that doesn't mean _they_ get to see me lose all my wits." He kissed the top of my head. "We'll figure it out. This war, and the reconstruction. We'll figure it out. Together. And we'll make a happy life, together."

"Yes. Together." I tilted my head up then, not really thinking about it, and smiled when I realized he was already leaning down for another kiss. We kissed again, many, many times. Whispering reassurances and half-thought plans for the future in between with what breath we had before we stole it from each other again. This… was a very strange turn in my life.

But I loved it. I loved him. We'd… make it work. With my father dead, I… I was due a little bit of happiness, right?

* * *

 _Notes on Nowi:_

 _Class - Manakete; Reclass - Mage, Wyvern Rider_

 _A manakete who is over a thousand years old, though she looks to be in her early teens. She acts childishly, but at times, she provides some of the wisest advice in the group, likely because she is, by far, the oldest._

 _Thanks to being a dragon, she is incredibly strong even when not transformed, and can take hits that would kill a 'human', rather like me. She also shows a strong magic potential, surprisingly._

 _She mentions that she goes through odd growth spurts, where she'll stay the same and then suddenly physically age before 'stopping' again, and that she thinks she just started one. She hopes that it'll lead her to at least look her late teens, so that no one yells at us for 'fielding a child'._

* * *

Author's Note: The argument between Cordelia and Maribelle is based off of their Summer Scramble conversation. Have an official couple with it.

Next Chapter - Sickles and Merchants (Paralogues 1 and 4)


	21. Chapter 11) Sickles and Merchants

Chapter 11) Sickles and Merchants

* * *

 _Our days are spent more or less the same. The main difference, really, is that poems are not snuck into my room. Instead, Chrom gives them to me directly, along with a kiss on the cheek. I still blush madly, but I wouldn't give up the happiness for anything. It's almost easy to forget that we are still preparing for a war._

 _But prepare we do. Gangrel will regret everything when we fall on him. We'll make sure of it._

* * *

Word spread quickly that Chrom and I were officially 'together'. Basilio and Flavia were apparently very confused because they thought we already _were_ together, but promptly threw us a congratulations party that resulted in half the Shepherds in the infirmary. Somehow.

"You should move your right foot a little more out, Kestrel," Robin instructed. He was helping me practice how to dance in a large empty room. "See? Better for the turn."

"I suppose so," I replied, still feeling all tangled up. I could fight on a battlefield with ease, but I swore waltzes were going to kill me. Not even going into the other dances I had to learn, according to Sumia and Sully. "How did you learn again?"

"Sumia let slip that you were having some trouble, and I figured it would be a good skill to know, so I asked Olivia to teach me." He grinned and spun me around, laughing as I stumbled. "How are you so graceful on the field and bad at this?"

"I don't know. How can Sumia trip over air, yet fly through it with an elegance that rivals Virion?" I scowled when he just laughed more. "But you seriously just learned to help me?"

"And because, as I said, I thought I might need to know as well. After all, I'm not making you attend balls without at least me to gripe at." His laughter faded for a soft smile. "Virion and Maribelle have been teaching me as well. Something about how, given my role during the war, and how I'm your brother, and how there are some vacancies in the ranks, I'll be cursed with a noble title." He made a face and my annoyance cracked enough for a giggle. "So, it's beneficial for both of us!"

"And you learned from Olivia." I moved to sit on the windowsill nearby, looking out the window. A thin layer of frost covered it, making the outside scenery looked faded. I had to make myself remember the fun times like snowball fights, looking at all the snow. I used to avoid being around so much snow. "You've spent quite a bit of time with her."

"Well, that's the secret. She's been teaching me to dance." Robin sat beside me, leaning against the window. "And we've chatted a bit. She wants to open a theater and she explained to me what sort of things happened there. Like plays! They sound interesting."

"I see." I smiled, remembering something. "You and I saw one play, long ago as children. We had to sneak in, and you always wanted to see one 'properly'."

"When things are peaceful, let's go!" He grinned, eyes sparkling at the idea. "Or, well, there will supposedly be one at the end of next month. Olivia's performing in it."

"Then let's see if we can snag seats for it. I'm sure it'll be very popular." Movement outside caught my attention, and I leaned against the glass to try and pick it out. I smiled when I realized it was Frederick and Sumia walking through the snow, with Sumia slipping on some ice and Frederick catching her. "Anything I should know about?"

"With… what?" He frowned a little. "In general?"

"Yes. I've been stuck in 'Queen Lessons' for quite some time."

"I'll tell Gaius to steal you away for some fun." He grinned. "Aside from that… well, you know me. Everyone talks with me, or at me, but not all of it is substantial. Gaius is convinced he owes you for silence and keeps Tharja busy when she tries to watch me sleep again, Libra scolds Cordelia for overworking, Maribelle and Lon'qu work through his gynophobia together, Miriel tries to investigate Kellam's ability to disappear, Stahl and Panne hang out with the horses a lot, Sully and Vaike spar constantly…" He shrugged, and I tried to not react to the whole 'Tharja watches my twin brother sleep' thing. He wasn't bothered, but I had to say I didn't like it. Still, Gaius was a very capable person, so maybe I could just… leave it to him… "Virion writes letters, while Lissa takes on more duties since she is now 'technically' the heir. She made a mention of looking forward to when she'd no longer be the direct heir." He yelped as I went red. "Y-you okay?"

"I'm fine!" My voice was squeaky. "She's… Lissa won't be the 'direct heir' when Chrom has a child. That's what she meant."

"Oh." He paused, getting a thoughtful look. Then he grinned. "Wait, I'd be an uncle in that case, right? That's how it works?" The grin faded for confusion and a trace of fear. "Wait, how does one _be_ an uncle!? Augh… I need to look that up!" He leapt to his feet and then yelped as I snagged him by the shirt and dragged him back down. "Hey!"

"Chrom and I haven't even… we're not even engaged yet!" My face hurt from the blush. "Don't get ahead of yourself!" I whimpered, thinking of all the lessons. "Ugh… at the rate that I'm going, it might be a good idea for me not to be queen anyway…"

"Ah. No." Robin poked my forehead, making me squeak. "If I can learn to be a good tactician, then you can learn to be a good queen. You're my twin sister. I have the uttermost faith in your ability to learn." He smiled warmly and took my hands to squeeze reassuringly. "And if you mess up, I'm right here with you. So are all the Shepherds. You'll learn how to be queen one step at a time."

"...Okay…" I smiled back, touched by the words. He was right, of course. I knew I had everyone. It was just a rather daunting task. "Well, do we continue the lessons or…" A knock on the door cut me off, and I had to fight back a sigh. "Or get caught up in trouble?"

"Trouble, of course. It's us." Robin grinned before turning to the door and standing. "Come in."

"Sorry!" The door creaked open and Olivia poked her head inside. She gave us a small smile before it faded. "We just got some troubling news," she whispered. "A nearby village might be under attack."

Well, here we go again.

* * *

So, it wasn't just a village under assault. We learned of the attack because we had a female merchant _also_ being attacked, and one of her traveling companions had raced for us, hoping that we could mount some sort of defense.

"Chrom, I'm going to remind you that I am a hardened mercenary," I noted dryly as he helped me over a fallen log hidden in the snow. The blizzards had knocked down quite a few trees, but thankfully, there was no word of any casualties. Feroxi knew how to weather their blizzards. "I do not suddenly lose my ability to handle things just because I admitted to being in love with you."

"Aw, but I like helping you, Kes," he teased. He brought my hand up and kissed it through the gloves. "Besides, it's an excuse to hold your hand."

"You don't _need_ an excuse, Chrom. Unless I need an excuse to hold yours?"

"Never. My hands are ever yours, as is my heart."

"Oh. My. Gods. I'm going to vomit rainbows," Lissa teased. She jumped next to me and took my arm. I glanced back to see the rest of the Shepherds were hanging back to help with the horses, bogged down by the snows. Lissa must've given up with helping. "Seriously, wow, you guys say that with a straight face?"

"I suppose we are a little silly," I laughed, smiling down at her. It did my confidence some good, knowing she accepted my being Chrom's lover. "Should we tone it down?"

"No way. I have a new things to tease Chrom about!" She leaned around me to grin at Chrom. "Stay the same! You two are fine!"

"Whenever you find someone to catch your eye, dear little sister, remember I will repay any and all teasing," Chrom half-warned. His smile softened the words. "Which reminds me. _Has_ anyone caught your eye?"

"Um… nope!" Lissa chirped. She gave me a little look that said 'I want to talk later', though. "Anyway… hey, what's that?" She pointed to a little odd lump in the distance. "Is that… a person?"

"I think so." Chrom frowned. "Get your staff."

"On it!" She scampered off, and Chrom and I ran forward, slipping in the snow and ice as we ran towards the lump. At first, I thought it was just a cluster of discarded clothes, and a pot for some reason, but then the cluster moved, revealing it to be a young boy. With a pot on his head. For some reason.

"Easy, easy," Chrom murmured, helping the boy up. I took off my coat and draped it over the boy, knocking off snow in the process. "You okay?"

"I… uh…" the boy groaned. He blinked slowly, and a bit of clarity came to his eyes. "Who are… wait, the village!" The boy lurched forward, but Chrom and I stopped him. "But…"

"Easy, my friends and I are here to assist." Chrom smiled at the boy's startled look. "Though, if you can tell us what's going on?"

"You're here to help?" The boy's face lit up with a bright, relieved smile. "Y-yes, milord! Right away, your… your graciousness!"

"...That's not a…" He sighed, smiling slightly. "Chrom. My name is Chrom. So, lad, what is-"

"PRINCE CHROM?!" The boy looked more and more frantic and confused, even flailing about slightly. "W-what are you… oh, man, did I fall asleep in the fields again?"

"You're awake." Chrom's smile grew, but I could also tell he was warring between amusement and exasperation by how he shifted. "So-"

"Oh, man, how are you supposed to talk to a… no one back home will believe this." The boy was clearly in his own little world. "Actually meeting our prince!"

"... _Your_ prince?"

"Yeah, I'm from Ylisse! Evacuated with Ma and the rest of the village because of the war." He bowed low suddenly, pot helmet nearly falling off. "I am so not worthy…"

"I… that's…" Chrom sighed. Exasperation won. "Can we get to why you were fallen in the snow without any sort of protection from the cold?"

"Oh. Right. Sorry, Your Majestyful." The boy straightened, and I had to turn away to hide my laugh, and facepalm. "Oh, wait, is that lady the one you're courting?"

"...Kestrel?" He pointed to me, and the boy nodded. "Yes? That's… wait, how do you know about that?"

"Gossip spreads fast, and it's good news. The villagers will be ecastatic to meet your wife!"

"...'Ecstatic'. And we're not married yet." Chrom looked amused, and I had to fight to keep from blushing. I knew I failed by how his smile grew. "But villagers? Cold?"

"RIGHT!" He bowed again. "S-sorry, your-"

"Deep breath, child," I finally interrupted. My face was red, but the poor boy was having a heart attack. "He talks in his sleep, by the way, and he's _always_ breaking things."

"Don't go telling people that!" Chrom yelped. His face went red as the boy tentatively looked up. "And I don't break _everything_!"

"Well, that's good to hear, since you have my heart. I'm rather certain I'd dislike that being broken." I smiled gently at the boy while Chrom went even redder. "So, child? Your name?"

"Donny!" the boy instantly squeaked. He smiled sheepishly. "That is… Donnel. I'm called Donny."

"Well then, Donny…" My smiled widened. "Are you calm enough to tell us what happened? I imagine meeting a royal in the middle of snowy nowhere did nothing for your nerves."

"Nope!" He grinned, but it soon fell. "Those rotten-teethed, pig-stinkin' bandits have attacked the village that took us in! They're rounding people up for bandit camps, and… and Ma told me to run, so I did, but…" Tears suddenly filled his eyes, and I knew everything was catching up at last. Poor child. "She's… she's all I got. Bandits killed my Pa, and the village I lived in is all scattered…"

"The war breeds more evils by the day," Chrom sighed. His blush had faded by now, so his determined look actually looked dignified. "Easy, Donny. We'll save your 'ma'. For now, let's get you treated."

We got Donny over to the others and explained what was going on. Chrom and Robin began to plan, but while they did, I noticed something odd. While everyone did their best to hide it, I could see the hesitancy in their eyes, the insecurity in their movements. I watched them for a moment, seeing it wasn't just one or two people. It was nearly _everyone_. Hell, even Frederick seemed off, though he hid it by helping Sumia fix something on her saddle. Sumia gave me a strained smile that was supposed to be brave, but fell short. That was sort of the point I decided someone had to bring it up, and clearly, it was going to be me. I was tactless like that.

"...What's wrong, everyone?" I called, waiting until they all looked at me before continuing. "We're going to save some villages from bandits. It's nothing fancy." They all still looked hesitant, and I wondered if it was because the _last_ time we mobilized… it had been to that failure. Emmeryn had died. "Didn't you all declare that you'd walk forward with your heads held high? That you'd end the war? Well, how can you end the war if you can't save a village?" I crossed my arms, and gave them a droll expression. "If fear takes you, then you've already lost. If you hesitate, innocent people are going to die. So, Shepherds, are you going to retreat back into that melancholic fear?"

I waited. I waited for a significant time, the blood roaring through my ears as the silence seemed to stretch forever. But then I saw small little smiles and nods, and the hesitancy in their eyes faded for the determination I was so used to. It was still there. But there was the courage I was used to.

"There we go. That's the look." I grinned, my stomach in knots. "You're the Shepherds, the band of kind-hearted weirdos I love. You dare to do the impossible. So, let's get the villagers and kill some bandits, yeah?"

The Shepherds cheered, the sound loud enough to shake some snow from the branches. As they did, Chrom moved to stand beside me, and gave me a smile so filled with warmth and affection that I went bright red and ducked my head to hide my face in my scarf, scared that my cheeks were warm enough to melt the snow.

I just… oh, I didn't even know. I'd feel more like myself after killing some bandits. Maybe.

* * *

The plan was simple. Distraction, bait, and escape. Half the Shepherds would distract, most of the others would bait, while Donny, Gregor, and I snuck past to reach the villagers. It almost seemed too simple of a plan, but Robin had protested against a complex strategy. He freely admitted that the plan to save Emmeryn had been too complicated, with too many things that could go wrong, and felt that it was better to stick to basics. The other Shepherds seemed to agree.

"Man, you guys are amazing," Donny whispered. I nearly winced when he kicked a stone, but he fixed his footing after I nudged his leg. If nothing else, he could learn _fast_. "I wish I could do all those sorts of things. Being strong, killing bandits…"

"Nearly dying and losing friends," I instantly pointed out, pressing against the side of a house and peering around the corner. The villagers, as best as we could tell, were being held in the town hall, and we had to go the long way around. "Fighting isn't sunshine and rainbows."

"Neither is being helpless in a bandit fight." There was an awkward pause. "If you'll pardon my rudeness, my lady."

"None taken. It's a good point." I frowned as I noticed some bandits passing close. "Okay, Gregor? You and I might need to silence a couple."

"Wish I could help…"

"You can, wee one," Gregor suddenly reassured. He smiled kindly and patted Donny on the head. "No one is born warrior. Farm work good training. Sickle and sword similar. You can do it, if you want."

"I… huh?" Donny looked so confused. "Seriously?" he asked. "But I-?"

"If you be wanting, but if so, must stay frosty."

"Oh, I'm already frozen."

"He means stay calm," I translated. I frowned as some bandits got a little closer. "Gregor, if he tries, he's your responsibility. I don't know how to keep an eye on someone like him."

"That be fine, for I have done so many times before," Gregor agreed. He laid a hand on Donny's shoulder. "But only if you be willing, wee one."

"I… er…" Donny began. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before nodding. "I… yes. Please. These are my people. I hate… only being able to run away."

"Good." Gregor passed Donny one of his swords, and showed him quickly how to hold it. "Hold like me. Swing like me. Kestrel's style too dodgy and countery for you."

"O-Okay…"

"They're almost on us," I whispered. I drew my own sword, and looked to Gregor and Donny. Gregor looked ready; Donny looked ready to be sick. "He's yours. And _they're_ ours."

I fell on the first one easily, catching them completely off-guard. Gregor and Donny worked together on the second, but I didn't stick around to see if it worked out. Instead, I darted down another alley and made my way towards the Town Hall, the largest building in the village. The bandits here weren't particularly skilled or anything, it seemed. They were just clever enough to wait until the snows made it hard for help to come. Except, of course, us Shepherds, who were more than willing to mobilize to thank the Khans for their assistance.

I made it to the Town Hall long before Gregor and Donny, and I slipped in through an open window, wondering how long I should wait. I knew that I didn't want to liberate the villagers _alone_ , but at the same time, I didn't want to wait too long. The longer we waited, the greater the chances of a hostage situation. I didn't want that, and not just because hostage situations sucked. I wasn't sure how much another hostage situation would shake up the others. So, carefully, I picked my way to the main part of the Town Hall, wondering what, exactly, I should do.

"Careful, big boy. Prices aren't the only things I can cut in half." Of course, I hadn't expected a fancily dressed redhaired lady snarking at a bandit when I arrived. But I couldn't complain. "Just leave the nice people be, okay?" the lady commented. She held a steel sword in a reverse grip, bringing the blade flat against her arm, and she stood protectively in front of some of the other villagers.

"Why is a merchant holding a sword anyway?" the bandit complained. He growled and leaned down to snag one of the villagers. The girl, however, glared, and he leaned back, intimidated. I wondered why, but then noticed there was a dead bandit already on the ground. Clearly, the girl had already proven her words. "I mean…"

"Depends on where you go." The girl shrugged, and I decided to use her as a distraction to get close. "Round here, there's not much, but other countries have merchants knowing bows and lances among other things." The girl's eyes darted towards me, but I smiled and she subtly nodded and kept on talking. "Different places are fun like that."

"Bah!" The bandit spat, almost on a villager. I was almost behind him. "You'd make a good price if you weren't so cheeky."

"Now, now, big boy." The girl grinned. "I'm _expensive_ ~ And you couldn't afford me even if you lived thirteen lives."

"Thirteen?"

"Unlucky thirteen. And you are very, _very_ unlucky."

"Hu-ugh…" That little moan was the last thing he ever said, as I'd stabbed him through the back. He dropped like a stone, and I kicked him off the blade.

I rolled him a bit to try and keep the blood away from the villagers. Then I looked up at the girl, who wore a very distinctively smirk. "Merchant girl?" I asked. She nodded. "Well, part of the reason we're here is to save you, but it feels a little silly now."

"Aw, don't sweat it, gorgeous," the girl chirped. Her smirk widened, and the villagers began looking a little hopeful. "Most merchants would face trouble. I'm one of the few in my family that knows how to fight." She winked. "It's super sweet that you worry about strangers. That sweetness is needed in this world. So, what say we open up a few more rogues and then we'll split the loot they had?"

"After giving some to the villagers to help them repair." It was hard not to laugh as she playfully pouted before nodding. "Thief, then?"

"Locksmith, thank you. Rogue or lock, I'll have it smiling wide in a trice." Her grin widened. "Speaking of rogues, though… mind teaming up? I didn't want to liberate the place alone, even with them being all weak and all."

"What a coincidence. I was worried about the same." I smiled back and brought my sword up as another bandit rushed in. He blinked slowly, jaw dropped. "Shall we?"

"Let's~" She giggled. "It's Anna, by the way. You?"

"Kestrel, of the Ylissean Shepherds." My smile grew. "Let's get everyone liberated in time for supper."

"On it~!"

* * *

"So, we kill some bandits, protected some villages, got a morale boost, _and_ got two more members," I summarized neatly. We dealt with all the bandits in record time, freed all the hostages, and returned in triumph. So now, I was sprawled out on Chrom's bed, reading through some history books Maribelle recommended. Supposedly, as… as 'queen', I'd be expected to have a lot of this memorized. She and Cordelia were already plotting ways to teach and test me. I didn't need foresight to know that I was going to spend a lot of time buried in books these next few weeks. "Why are they coming with us?"

"Donnel wants to learn how to be stronger and thinks we'll be good for training," Chrom absently explained. He was at his desk, frowning over some paperwork. "Anna thinks it'll simply be safer with us, given the Risen and the war. She's promised to secure us discounts on supplies."

"Oh, that'll be good."

"Yeah." Chrom sighed and then suddenly stood, stumbling over to the bed and flopping on it, cuddling into me. "Mmm… warm…"

"Move your head." I lifted my arm so that he could slide into my side. "I'm trying to read."

"Meh…" Still, he did shift a little lower. "Shouldn't you take a break?"

"I will when I finish this chapter. I have a lot to learn."

"Including how to take breaks, apparently." He reached up and caressed my cheek. "Your eyes are puffy. You've been staying up." He shifted again, this time to pluck the book from me, mark the page, and then set it to the side. "Break now."

"Hold on a-!" I squeaked when Chrom wrapped his arms around me and dragged me down, tugging the blanket over both of us. "Chrom, Maribelle is going to scold me!"

"Blame me. I'll be sure to inform Lissa she's making you overwork."

"Don't do that." I huffed, pouting, and he simply smiled and pulled me a little closer. "...I have been staying up…"

"You and Robin are workaholics. It's kind of amusing."

"We both just want to do what we can to make sure no one questions you and the Shepherds." My voice sounded tiny to me, so I ducked my head. "We… I mean… regardless of everything, Chrom, you all gave us a home. Robin doesn't remember, consciously, but we haven't had one in a while. When Mother died, we had no one. We had to stay away from people. So…"

"You two don't need to overwork to prove how amazing you are. You do that by nature." He kissed the top of my head. "Maybe I should set up some sort of 'compliment Kes and Robin' event."

"Please don't. We'll die of embarrassment." I went red just thinking about it.

"Well, maybe not then." He tilted my face up and kissed me gently, a nice little kiss that made me feel very warm and tingly, just like a stereotypical kiss from one of my romance novels. But nicer, because it was real and _mine_ … "Hey, if you don't mind a change in subject?"

"Kiss me again, and I think I'll let you get away with that."

"Gladly." The next kiss was a little fiercer, and he looked a little smug when he pulled away. I batted at his shoulder and he laughed. "But, in all your travels, have you ever been to Ylisse's Spring Festival?"

"That's the one where you decorate eggs and dress up in colorful clothes and rabbit costumes, right?" I smiled and shook my head. "No, Robin and I never went. We heard about it, and thought it might be fun, but we worried that our father's people would attack during one."

"It's one of my favorite festivals. It'll probably be held late this year, since Emm…" His smile faltered, and I rested my hand on his cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned into it briefly. "The festival should still be fun, though. We could make it your official debut."

"Dressed up and painting eggs?" I laughed, amused by the idea. "Why not? It sounds silly."

"Meaning you should laugh a lot, I hope." He smiled again, but it was tinged with a bit of sadness. "Emm would've had fun with it. She loved that festival too."

"Then we must have twice as much fun, for her."

"Yeah…" He sighed and pulled me closer. "I'm so tired…"

"Then sleep, silly."

"Mmm…" His face screwed up like he wanted to protest, but he shrugged and closed his eyes. Before long, his breathing had evened out, and his grip on me loosened slightly in slumber.

I watched him sleep for a while before moving to sit up, kissing his cheek gently before retrieving my book and reading. I wanted to at least finish this chapter, after all. The sooner I did, the more time I had to commit it to memory.

Maribelle had threatened to make the next test the hardest yet. I wanted to be ready.

* * *

 _Notes on Gregor:_

 _Class - Mercenary; Reclass - Barbarian, Myrmidon_

 _An older mercenary with an accent no one ever seems to figure out, known for his incredible skill in combat and his kind and wise words. He and Basilio are old friends and rivals._

 _Skilled and strong, though his age and long years of fighting have slowed him some, since the body remembers all the injuries forced on it. However, that has simply taught him patience to strike where it hurts._

 _Seriously, no one knows where he's from, and he tells a story every time. For all anyone knows, 'Gregor' might not even be his real name, and for all his jokes, it's clear that he has had a hard life. However, it's tempered him into someone willing to give aid where needed._

* * *

Author's note: Okay, as can be seen by the title, I'm making 'paralogues' into proper chapters, so from here on, chapter numbers will be off from the game. I will also fully admit that while we'll be recruiting all the chars, some of them will be combined with 'main chapters' just for the flow of the story. No, I won't announce who will go where. That'll ruin the surprise.

In _game_ , Donnel starts off with a lance. But none of his reclasses can use it, so instead, I'm taking a nod from FE2/FE15's villagers, which use swords. Also in game, Chrom is the one who encourages Donnel, but I regulated that to Gregor instead. Anna's mentioning of merchants wielding bows and lances is a nod to Fates, where the Merchant class wields naginatas and yumis.

The Spring Festival mentioned here is the one used to explain the 'Easter' Event in FE:H. Because why not?

Next Chapter - Winterlude 2


	22. Winterlude - Changes

Winterlude 2 - Changes

* * *

 _With two new members, we make our preparations and continue training and planning. Winter's end is creeping ever closer, and as soon as we're certain the blizzards are done, we're marching to war again. Everything is focused on that. Everyone looks forward to that day._

 _I try to remind people rest is a thing. Somehow, I've become the official nag of the Shepherds, taking over even for Frederick. It's a weird feeling._

* * *

"The more I study, the more I feel like I'm not suited for this," I groaned, dropping my book in my lap. It was a book of 'etiquette' and gods above, there were too many rules. "Why so many things for flowers?"

"The language of flowers is a wondrous thing!" Virion laughed. He was helping me today, and I swore it was only because of him that I didn't just chuck the book out the window. He made it fun. "It allows for such subtle conversations!"

"There's too many."

"It also shows supreme attentiveness. It takes a lot of research and time to perfectly craft a message in a bouquet."

"Why would anyone give me flowers?"

"Well, those who wish to admire you, of course!" He gestured dramatically, nearly falling out of his chair, and I did have to laugh at his silliness. "And, of course, those who will want to insult you without raising the ire of your defenders, or send you into a scandal." He sighed and settled back proper and sipped on his tea. "Unfortunately, my dear, Chrom is quite the political catch. You will have people who hate you on principle."

"Ugh…"

"That said, you also have many allies, some of which are particularly high ranked, or will be once this war is over." He smiled gently at me and gestured to the cup of tea cooling in front of me. "But I do believe you're far overdue for a break, my dear."

"Maybe…" I sighed, and leaned back in my chair, letting the sunshine wash over me. He and I were in some study in the castle, nice and quiet. "The blizzards are calming."

"True. We're fast approaching the end of winter." Virion laughed, but there was a distinct edge of sadness to it. "This used to be one of my favorite times of the year."

"Really?" I paused, trying to remember, and then realize what he was talking about. "Oh, the Winter's End Festival. It's something all of Valm celebrates."

"Yes, it was a celebration of the spring that was to come." He looked out the window too, smiling nostalgically. "My sister, Cassandra, would make new clothes every year for it. We'd hold tournaments and games for three full days, and then on the evening of the third, we'd sing..."

"You'd sing 'Heritors of Arcardia'. I know it." It was said to be written by the 'Shadow of the Empress', a dancer said to be Empress Celica's best friend and confidant. The rumors also said she was the sister to the 'Shadow of the Emperor', a powerful saint. Not that there was much more known, of course. The Unification War had occurred about a year after the War of Shadows, after all. "The one said to be sung from the Mother Mila's point of view."

"Yes, the Earth Mother who provided us food. In the summer, we'd hold the Summer's End festival to celebrate the War Father, Duma." He laughed bitterly. "Though, I imagine many have switched to calling him 'Demon' or 'Fell' Father. Walhart does not fight for his banner, of course. The man denounces gods. But there are many who compare him unfavorably to King Rudolf, who _did_."

"I always heard conflicting reports on King Rudolf."

"Well, he was a complicated man. But stories favor the simplistic interpretation." Virion sipped his tea again. "Walhart might be similarly complicated, but his methods are crude and bring much suffering."

"I suppose." I looked down at my mug and then back at him. "He denounces the gods, though?"

"Yep. It's part of his recruitment slogan." He said the words dryly. "'Join me and live in a world ruled by man alone!' or something. I don't know if he believes it, or if he is purposely invoking Saint-King Alm I in an attempt to sway more people."

"Well, if the stories are true, he did _kill_ the gods to save the people from their madness." At the same time, though, I couldn't imagine 'a world ruled by man alone'. Grima's claws hung over my shoulders even now. "Still, I don't see why we can't throw a little festival ourselves. If you know the music, I could even sing the song."

"Really?" Virion's eyes lit up at that. "Yes, I've played in the festival numerous times. I know it by heart."

"In that case, let's go over the lyrics to make sure _I_ remember it. I've only heard it a few times, after all."

And so the two of us happily began plotting a small little performance, with tentative plans to ask Olivia if she wanted to dance too. Just a little something to focus on besides lessons, and a little bit of home for Virion. We both needed it.

* * *

"So, why is it, exactly, that you want to learn swords from me, Cordelia?" I asked as she, Sumia, and I walked through the slushy gardens to cool off from weapons practice. "You're not planning on using them from a pegasus, right?"

"Why not?" Cordelia asked in return. She reached around me help Sumia steady herself. "They do in the history books, and it'll give an advantage against the axe-wielding wyvern riders of Plegia."

"My fighting style, which relies on dodging and countering, and is perhaps a touch acrobatic, is not suited for fighting. Though, it _is_ suited to your height I suppose." I paused, realizing something as I looked between the three of us. "Hey, you're the shortest of us, and Sumia is the tallest."

"I honestly think that's why Sumia trips so much. You should've seen her when she was younger. All limbs."

"That does make some sense."

"I'm right here!" Sumia protested, turning pink. She sulked at both of us. "Meanies."

"We're just commenting that you're the tallest of us three," I teased, patting her back. She sighed. "You're also the biggest of us when it comes to boobs."

"I… they're not that big!"

"Maybe, but you've definitely got the biggest cup size."

"Well, you can have some!"

"C-Can we not talk about this?" Cordelia squeaked. Now her face was red, and I couldn't help but laugh. "We're off topic."

"The topic being that I highly doubt my style will work for a flier," I pointed out with a shrug. All three of us managed to slip in some slush right then, and it was only thanks to some lucky twists we managed to not all fall. Of course, the three of us had a good laugh about it. "Honestly, Cordelia, a flying healer sounds infinitely more useful."

"That's true. I just worry because my aptitude for magic has always been low…"

"You only need a little magic to heal, from my understanding. And even a little bit of healing can tip someone away from death."

"True…"

"You're just frustrated because you know you'd never be the best at it," Sumia teased. Cordelia grimaced, proving her right. "You don't need to be absolutely amazing at _everything_ , silly. What's that saying? 'Jack of all trades, master of none'?"

"'But infinitely better than master of one'," Cordelia instantly retorted, pouting. "Everyone always forgets the last part."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that, and there's only so much of you to go around. When was the last time you and I just went on a relaxing ride anyway?"

"Er… uh…"

"Too long, clearly," I deadpanned. Cordelia coughed to try and hide her embarrassment, while Sumia giggled. "Whatever. Sumia, what are your plans? You seem to be studying with Miriel a lot."

"Yeah!" Sumia replied, laughing. She smiled brightly, lighting up her whole face. "Maybe I'll ditch the lance and just do tomes and staves!"

"So, basically, you want to be a flying Valkyrie."

"W-well, maybe?" She shrugged. "I'm just better with magic, I think. What about you? Are you going to take up a second weapon?"

"No idea. I've only ever had the money for one, so having the option of more is… interesting and not something I ever considered. Definitely not going the magical route, though." I shuddered at the thought. I hated the idea of fighting solely with magic, like my father. "Should I take suggestions from others?"

"Maybe! Maybe a bow!"

"Why a bow?"

"Because they're elegant!"

"Now you sound like Virion."

"W-well…"

A little bit of swaying in the corner of my eye, followed by a dull 'thwump' sound and fluttering red. That was all the warning we had before Cordelia suddenly fainted on us.

"I-I'll get someone!" Sumia yelped, taking off quickly. She slid on some slush and fell flat on her face, but pushed herself up and kept on going. I saw her fall once more before she disappeared around a corner. I worried she'd knock herself out, before shaking my head and turning to Cordelia.

I rolled Cordelia on her back and moved her legs into my lap to elevate her legs. I checked to make sure she was breathing, and brushed her hair out of her face, noticing how clammy she was. Her skin was noticeably paler, and her eyes were puffy. She'd been overworking. I wondered if it was to escape the pain of seeing all her fellow knights die _twice_.

Pounding footsteps made me look up, and I saw Frederick running down the path. He stopped briefly to catch a trailing Sumia as she almost fell again before kneeling next to me. "Any signs of trauma or injury?" he asked me, voice a little shaky from panting. He relaxed when I shook my head. "So…?"

"I think she's just exhausted," I replied. I helped Frederick pick her up and stood, smiling softly. "Something tells me she's been letting her perfectionistic tendencies get carried away to escape nightmares, but I could be wrong."

"I see." He nodded. "I'll get her to Princess Lissa or Maribelle, then."

"Not Libra?"

"Libra, I know, is busy tending to Donnel at the moment." He smiled kindly and I laughed. "I'll be sure to send a message if something differs."

"Thank you." I waved him goodbye and turned my attention to Sumia, intending to reassure her. However, I noticed Sumia's attention was on Frederick's back, and while I thought it could just be worry of Cordelia, she was definitely pink in the face. Now, granted, that pinkness could've been from falls or the cold, but I couldn't help but wonder...

"Hey, Sumia?" I called. I nudged her to catch her attention and nodded to Frederick, silently asked. She went a little pinker and smiled, but shrugged a little. "So…?"

"I might be falling," she whispered. Her smile was shy. "I certainly admire him greatly. I always have. And he's very kind, very attentive…"

"Has a nice butt."

"Has a nice… Kestrel!" She went bright red and I laughed, unable to help it. "W-well, is it nicer than Chrom's?"

"I'm biased. I can't answer that properly."

"You're horrible." She made a face, and I laughed again. It wasn't long before she laughed with me. "Regardless, I might be. I don't know. I'll see what happens. For now, I'm content being near him. Besides…" Her cheer faded. "I know he's hurting still. What I _really_ want is for him to smile and laugh."

"Then stay with him. No one can be sad for long when you're with them." I linked my arms around hers and smiled. "And if you do decide you like him, let me know. I'll… do what I can to help out. Like you helped me."

"Really?" She giggled and leaned into me. "Well, maybe teach me how to cook so that I don't burn everything!"

"Sure, we'll start now."

Later, we had to explain to Flavia why the kitchens were a mess, between our laughing and her clumsiness, but Sumia and I did successfully bake cookies together without a single burnt one. I called it a rousing success.

* * *

"Cordelia works way too hard!" Lissa complained. She and I were having tea a few days after Cordelia's fainting spell. "Oh, if only I was as good at scolding as Libra…!" She sulked, puffing her cheeks in indignation. "Ugh!"

"The last I saw, he had gotten through to her and was working with her," I pointed out with a small smile. I poured some cups of tea for us, and felt nervous. It was my first time really 'serving' tea to anyone. "I… ah… hope you like?"

"Oh, don't fret so much. I'm not picky." She smiled reassuringly at me. "I heard Maribelle is really running you through the paces, though!"

"There's a lot to learn." I hovered my hand over my cup to check how warm it was. "I'm in way over my head."

"Meh, you'll be fine. Remember, Chrom fell in love with _you_. Don't try to be anyone you're not." She grinned. "We love you too. And we all thought you'd be a nice queen before the lessons."

"For reasons I still don't get why."

"That's fine. I like that you do it without thinking." She giggled and I barely checked the urge to sigh. It really did confuse me. "Anyway…"

"You had wanted to talk to me about something." It was safer to just change the subject. "What about?"

"Oh. That." Her cheer faded and she glanced to the side briefly. "It's… well… it's about what Chrom mentioned. About me getting a l-lover…" She fiddled with her mug. "You probably haven't noticed, and I know for a fact Chrom hasn't because he's _super_ oblivious. But I… I do have a crush, actually."

"Really?" I smiled encouragingly at her. "Who?"

"Lon'qu." She smiled wryly at my incredulous stare. "He's really nice once he lets you near. Plus, you know, he guards Maribelle and I a lot due to us being healers." She looked down, and I decided to wait for her to continue. I wasn't sure what to say or do. The most time I'd spent with Lon'qu was when we cooked together. I still had my own issues getting close to people, and so did he. "But the thing is… is that I know Maribelle loves him too."

"I… can imagine that would be awkward." I winced, thinking of how horrible I'd felt when I'd realized Sumia and I loved the same person. "Do you plan on telling her?"

"Nope." Her words were surprisingly firm. "You're the only person who's going to know. Don't tell anyone."

"Are you sure?"

"Yep." She looked up at me, and managed a smile. She looked ready to cry despite it, though. "See, I know Maribelle. If I show any interest, she'd back away." She moved her mug to the side a bit and rested her arms on the table. "That's just how she is. _My_ happiness is more important than hers, in her eyes." She sighed, resting her face in her arms. "So… yeah. If you can subtly get Chrom to not tease me like that?"

"Are you sure you won't tell Chrom directly?"

"No way! He's a boy!" She lifted her head to pout and I just had to laugh. "You don't tell boys stuff like this!" Her pout softened for a smile. "Thank you, by the way."

"...For…?"

"One, for listening. I've been sitting on it for ages."

"Well, of course I'll listen. And I won't tell. Promise."

"Yay~" She straightened in her seat. "For two… thank you for making Chrom happy. He smiles a lot. I'm glad." She picked up her mug again, and this time, sipped it. "When I was bawling about Emm, he wouldn't let himself cry. He just held and supported me. Because that's how he is. Chrom is my annoying protective, dorky, sweet big brother. I'm happy he's happy. I hope, one day, I get to be happy in the same way, but you know, I'm pretty happy in general." She hopped to her feet suddenly and stretched her hands above her head. Like she had to move to prove her words to herself. "My sister is dead, and I'll never get her back. I've seen people die left and right, and I'll never get their screams out of my head. But I have all these friends willing to help me. I have my brother. There's that stupid war, of course, but…"

"I understand, I think." I smiled back, laughing a little. All things considered, I was very happy too. "Still, don't force yourself to be happy."

"I won't." She giggled and took a sip of her tea. "Oh, wow, this is so good, Kestrel!"

"Is it? Good!" I breathed a sigh of relief. "Regardless, that sounds like a good point for a subject change. How goes your axe training?"

"It sucks, but I'm improving!" And Lissa babbled about her training, and I listened attentively, making sympathetic noises when appropriate.

I thought that was more of what she'd needed. She no longer had Emmeryn to 'consult' for big sister things. She… wanted to know if she could do the same with me, and I hoped I was up for it. I really did like her.

* * *

"You know… this started as something small," I complained as Maribelle brushed out my hair. She had a bunch of hairpins in her mouth, though I wasn't sure what _for_. "Very small."

"Well, darling, Basilio decided it would be good for the troops," Maribelle replied. It was remarkably how coherent she was with those hairpins. "Hold your head still."

"Sorry." I sighed, and closed my eyes, to exasperated by all of this. "We didn't even tell him. He eavesdropped."

"To be fair, you and Olivia were discussing it in a public space." And that was exactly what had turned this simple performance into a grand thing for the troops. A day or so after I'd talked to Lissa, I'd been asking Olivia how she knew a Valmese dance (she learned it from traveling dancers), and Basilio had jumped into the conversation from there. "Head. Still."

"Sorry." So, instead of just wearing my normal clothes, I had to get 'dressed up'. Thank the gods I had Maribelle to worry about it for me, as I had no idea about any of the colors. "Who is handling Cordelia and Olivia again?"

"Sumia and Lissa. Gaius is helping Virion and Stahl. Mostly Stahl." There was a tap sound, like she'd set something down. "I'm so glad we can hear Cordelia play again. She played for Chrom's last birthday, you see." There was a tug on my hair. "I'm surprised Stahl is so good, though. He must've practiced quite a bit."

"I still feel bad they got strongarmed into playing with us." I wasn't sure Basilio had given them a choice once he 'happened to overhear' them practicing. They'd barely had a few days to learn the music for this! "I'd planned on this being relaxing."

"Well, it'll be relaxing for the audience." Little pinpricks hit my scalp and I had to resist the urge to squirm. "I still can't believe Anna managed to get us so many nice clothes on such short notice."

"It feels weird."

"That's just because you're not used to wearing such fancy clothes, darling. I assure you; it suits you beautifully. I would've made you change if not." She tugged some strands of hair by my face. "Open your eyes, darling."

"Must I?" I resisted the urge to groan and did as she asked. I caught sight of my reflection, though, and turned away. I caught a brief glimpse of how she had my hair pinned up, with little ringlets by my face. That was it. "Eyes are open."

"You should see yourself."

"I hate my reflection. I see my father in me."

"...Ah." She reached around and dragged some sort of scarf across the mirror, blocking it. "In that case, look at me." She stepped to my side, and I looked up at her, touched that she'd just… went with it. "Yes, that'll do. You look lovely, darling."

"I'll take your word for it." I stood up slowly, and grimaced at how my dress swished about my legs. It was greens and golds, with no sleeves and a very long skirt. "This feels weird."

"You're just not used to it. But the dresses tailored for you can be made more subtle and simple." She smiled warmly and took my hands in hers. "I'll head out to the audience for now. Just think of this as practical application for the poise lessons we were going through."

"I'll try." I did manage to smile back, and she winked before skipping out of the 'dressing room'. I glanced around, noticing that I was the only one here, and heading out through a different door, towards the 'wings of the stage'.

The others smiled they saw me, with Stahl bowing and Virion giving me a wink. Cordelia, fully recovered though still a little pale, checked the tuning of her harp, while Olivia, dressed in a different dancer's costume than I'd last seen her in, was actually peeking out front. Morbidly curious, I leaned over her shoulder, and nearly whimpered when I saw how many people were gathered.

"I'm going to be sick," I whispered, stepping back. I tried to think of Maribelle's poise lessons, but they were drowning in the nausea. "Oh, no, I'm seriously going to be sick…"

"I know! There's a lot of people," Olivia murmured. Still she smiled gently at me, and took my hand. "B-but, once we start performing, it's not so bad. Mostly."

"...You're a professional."

"Yes, and I get nervous in front of crowds." She laughed softly and squeezed my hand. "But this time isn't so bad. We have friends with us."

"True…"

"What I like to do is find people in the crowd that I don't mind dancing in front of and pretend I'm just dancing for them." She giggled. "Try that, okay?"

"...I will." I smiled back, still feeling ill, but strangely comforted. It was nice to know that she, a professional dancer, got nervous in front of crowds. "But we should probably go before we lose what little nerve we have."

"Yep~" She giggled again and waved to the others. "Gaius is going to announce us soon. Everyone ready?"

"Er… sort of?" Stahl replied. He laughed a little awkwardly. "My stomach is in knots. I should've eaten more."

"Just think of the feast we'll have afterwards," Virion suggested. He bowed with a little flourish to us. "We shall do marvelously. We did so in practice, after all."

"Practice is different."

"Not as much as you might think."

"Can we just do a group hug or something?" Cordelia asked. She smiled and held out her arms. "Come on. Hugs make everything better, right?"

Stifling laughter, we did just that, and at that moment, Gaius announced our performance to a loud bit of applause. We gave each other another hug before walking outside to even greater applause. We all took some time to get settled, mostly adapting our 'practice seating arrangements' to a slightly larger stage. My vision tunneled as I looked out over the crowd, and I quickly tried to hunt for people I knew, just like Olivia had suggested.

I found the Shepherds easily. There were right in front, and the ones who caught my eye grinned at me. Maribelle, in fact, gave me a warm and approving smile before pointing in front of her, to where Chrom and Robin were sitting, right in front with Flavia and Basilio. Both of them were beaming at me, and I did feel my nerves ease at all the smiles. I still felt ill, but it was no longer a huge obstacle.

I glanced at the others, waiting for Virion and Olivia to nod, and then opened my mouth to sing. It was soft at first, because of my nerves, but as I continued to sing, I managed to strengthen my voice a little more. Virion, Cordelia, and Stahl matched their volume to mine, as if it was something we planned. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Olivia dance, scarves swirling about her almost like wings, and I took courage from that to sing louder and fuller. By the time I reached the last verse, I'd forgotten all my nervousness. Instead, I just gave myself to the performance. After all, I had people cheering me on. I could make it.

" _And though I am gone, just ash in the wind~ One life surrendered, so yours can begin~ Courage, my children~! This is your song! I am the Earth; I will make you strong~!"_

* * *

 _Notes on Libra:_

 _Class - War Monk; Reclass - Mage, Dark Mage_

 _The calm and caring bishop who is equally skilled with a staff and axe. He watches over all of us, but keeps his distant, like he's not sure whether or not we're trustworthy._

 _A very balanced fighter, filling almost any role, though not exceeding in it. It's almost like he puts on different masks to fit the situation._

 _He dislikes being touched, to the point of stiffening and shying away, suggesting some sort of past abuse. Also hinting to his darker past, as well as a broken present, is his aptitude for dark magic. But his kindness is no mask, whether he believes it or not._

* * *

Author's note: Libra's A support with Cordelia makes a mention of her fainting sometime between the B and A conversations. Stahl and Cordelia's supports focus on them learning how to play harps (or, rather Stahl learning and Cordelia practicing). _Heritors of Arcadia_ is the english version of song that plays during the epilogue/credits of Shadows of Valentia. The 'shadows' that Virion mention are nods to the POV chars for the (eventual) Shadows of Valentia novelization.

As an aside: I'm sorry for not updating as much recently. I've been working on original works more, and life has been a liiittle hectic, among other things. I do promise to keep updating, but don't be surprise if they continue to be slower.

Next Chapter - Mad King Gangrel


	23. Chapter 12) Mad King Gangrel

Chapter 12) Mad King Gangrel

* * *

 _The last of the snows melt, and we marched back to the border, intending on crossing into Plegia. New armor, new weapons… all of us are armored to the teeth and we make a rather impressive sight alongside the Feroxi soldiers. As we get closer to the border, our army grows and grows, and we're met with cheers by the civilians. We even meet some Ylisseans along the way, those determined to fight, even though their country has fallen._

 _This… is it. This is it. This war ends._

* * *

"So, this is my current strategy based on what we know," Robin finished, straightening. He'd been leaning over the map Cordelia and Sumia made for us, explaining the current battle plan to Chrom and me. "Any questions?"

"No, I think it's a good one personally," Chrom answered, smiling warmly at him. "To think that a simple walk through a meadow led to Lissa tripping over the best tactician in the lands."

"Praise me as that when this works. I'm nervous." Robin sighed, and looked to me shyly. I smiled warmly at him, proud, and he grinned, perfectly pleased. "Why isn't Frederick here again?"

"He's checking if there is new information, since Flavia and Basilio are camping with their troops instead of us." Chrom absently took my hand and tugged me a little closer to kiss my temple. "Just in case."

"Right, a numbers change could be detrimental." Robin smiled sweetly. "However, should I leave you two alone~?"

"Huh?" Chrom's expression blanked before he looked down at me in confusion. I pointed to our clasped hands and he blushed. "Oh."

"Gods, you're adorable." Robin laughed. "Good taste, dear sister."

"Oh, shut up," I sighed, scowling. He simply laughed more. "Regardless, why did you guys drag me into this again? I had planned on checking the supplies with Cordelia, and then making sure Maribelle had everything she and Lissa needed for the infirmary."

"Why, so that I could watch you two be adorable, of course," Robin _instantly_ retorted. He even wore a bright grin. "Lissa says that as a sibling, it's my job to tease the living hell out of you both."

"…Oh, Robiiin~" I smiled, and his grin fell from his face. "I think the Shepherds should hear about some escapades from our childhood."

"That isn't fair at all. I don't remember them!"

"Exactly."

"Come on! Not fair!"

"Too bad." I made for the entrance of the tent, but yelped as Robin caught me in a hug. "Hey!"

"Nope, nope! I'm protecting my reputation!" He laughed, dragging me backwards. I groaned, but let him. "Fine, fine, I'll time the teasing better. Happy?"

"Maybe."

"You two are ridiculous," Chrom laughed. He smiled brightly at us, though there was some pain to it. He missed Emmeryn, and no doubt he wished he'd teased her more. "So…" There was a 'knock' on the tent flap, and it opened to reveal a stoic Frederick. "Ah, Frederick, anything?"

"Yes, we received a report from Khan Flavia," Frederick explained. He held himself strangely stiffly, and I stepped away from Robin, worried. "The Plegian Army…"

"Is there more numbers than anticipated?" Chrom asked softly. That was something we considered. We had no knowledge of how many Gangrel might conscript, after all. "In that case, Robin, we need to-"

"No, that's not it." Frederick shook his head. "The Plegian Army is actually in disarray."

Silence fell for a long moment as we tried to process the words. Even then, we couldn't quite, so Chrom asked, "…How do you mean?"

"Infighting, desertion, visible and loud protests against further violence…" He shrugged. "Gangrel stomps out the opposition with force, but with little success. If anything, it makes it worse. His army has all but collapsed. We are fighting him with three to one numbers, in our favor."

"…Seriously?" Chrom and Robin exchanged a look of confusion. "Why would they…?" Chrom trailed off though, and began to laugh, softly and bitterly. "No, I know. Emm. It's Emm, isn't it?"

"It is." Frederick relaxed slightly, smiling wanly. "Her name has become a rallying cry. Her sacrifice made her words ring true."

"They want peace. They wanted someone to acknowledge their pain. She saw that. No, she _learned_ that." Chrom's head dropped, but it didn't hide the quiet tears slipping down his face. "Damn it, Emm. I can't even tell you that you were right." I reached up and wiped away the tears, and he smiled. "Sorry. That's…"

"What will you do, my lord?" Frederick's words were soft. "His army is in disarray. We have clear superiority now." But they were serious, and I realized now this was why he'd been stiff. "What will you do?"

"I…" Chrom hesitated, and looked down. Then he looked at the map, then at Robin, and then at me. After that, he closed his eyes, breathed in deep, and let out the breath slowly. "Send a messenger, Frederick. I will give him a chance to surrender."

"Are you certain, my lord?"

"Yes. It's… my compromise. Emmeryn would give him far more than one. My father gave Plegia none. I… will give him the one, as I did with Raimi, way back to when we first crossed the border." Chrom nodded, straightening his posture to look a little surer. A little more regal. "His reign ends. But I will give him a chance to surrender, and end it without further violence."

"Of course, my lord." Frederick bowed, smiling warmly. "I'll see to it at once."

"Let me come with, Frederick, to talk to the messenger," Robin requested. His eyes sparkled, even as he tried to look serious. "Just to get more information." Frederick nodded and held the tent flap open for him. "Thanks!" Robin bolted out the tent, and Frederick quickly followed.

I debated following, still surprised by the news. However, I noticed how Chrom looked conflicted, so instead, I moved to his side and caressed his cheek. "I'm proud of you," I murmured. He looked at me slowly, expression almost fragile. "I think it's good to give him a chance. But just the one. Any more, and he'll regroup."

"Yeah…" he sighed. But he relaxed and smiled. "Thanks, Kes."

"I'm simply stating the truth. Though, I'm pretty certain Gangrel will refuse it." I bit my lip, glancing at the map. "I'm also worried about Risen showing up."

"Robin's plan accounted for that."

"I can still worry."

"True." He sighed, rubbing his temple. "How late is it again?"

"Well, you two started this meeting after dinner. So, I imagine most people are going on watch or heading to bed. Will you do the same?"

"Bed sounds nice. At the least, I should probably relax. If Robin wants to continue the talks, he can just… send for me or something." He nodded to himself, paused, and then looked to me. "Say, Kes?"

"Yes?"

"Do you mind spending the night with me, instead of going back to yours?"

"Uh…" My thoughts stopped for a brief moment, before the rest of me caught up and processed not only the words, but how he said them. And when I did, I decided to tease him, just a little. "So, Chrom, I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and think you didn't quite realize the implications of what you said."

"Implications?" His expression blanked, proving me right, before he went apple-red as it clicked. "That… Uh… um… Oh, that wasn't what I meant." He ducked away, hiding his face with his hand, which did nothing to hide his blush. He was red all the way to his ears. "Ugh, great, now I sound like I'm coming on like a wyvern in heart… in heat… but I swear that wasn't… I mean…"

"…Well, it's not like I'd refuse even if it was." I said the words candidly, though I knew my own face went red. His went redder. "But we're going to war, and I imagine tiring ourselves out the night before a big battle isn't a good idea."

"N-no, it doesn't…" He glanced at me, smiling sheepishly. "I just… would like… ugh, I can't think of how to phrase this without-"

"Let me get a change of clothes, and if anyone sees, you're the one explaining." I grinned, and he made a face, but smiled. Both of us were still bright red. "I'll see you there. Okay?"

"Okay." He leaned down and kissed my cheek. "Thank you."

* * *

Gangrel didn't take the offer to surrender. We expected that, but it was disappointing to hear. The messenger, who had to be treated for injuries because Gangrel tried to kill the poor man, took all of it with surprisingly good humor and told us something interesting. Aversa had left the palace, as well as the Grimleal. While some might remain, it would be those who chose, and likely not very strong ones. Not ones who could summon the Risen.

"Anyone else feel like this isn't quite real?" Robin asked. We were standing on the edge of the battlefield, on a hill overlooking the Plegian soldiers. "Like this is some weird as hell dream?"

"Maybe a little," Chrom murmured. He, Robin, and I were standing in front of the Shepherds. "But, just a little."

"Stop trying to be cool in front of your girlfriend. My sister already knows how dorky you are."

"Hey!" Chrom scowled and Robin laughed. "Oh, whatever. We're ready."

"Yes, for a speech for inspiration!"

"I'm not doing a speech."

"Oh, come on. For inspiration!"

"You already said that, and I think the Shepherds have their own inspirations ready."

"Please?" Robin glanced at me. "You convince him."

"No, I won't force him to do what he doesn't want," I replied. Chrom sighed in relief while Robin groaned. I heard snickers from the Shepherds, and decided… decided to be mischievous. "Instead, I suppose I'll inspire our glorious leader." I brushed a kiss over Chrom's cheek, and both of us went red as someone, probably Vaike, loosed a wolf-whistle. "There. Inspiration to not die."

"…I can't lose," Chrom murmured. He grinned and leaned down to kiss me on the mouth. This time, there was _clapping_. I could hurt all of them; I was so mortified. "And you cannot die either. None of us will die." He turned to everyone and smiled. "Understand, Shepherds? I need all of you to survive this battle. I don't care how. Just survive, and then we'll rebuild Ylisse!"

"There's the speech!" Robin laughed, clapping. Chrom's smile faltered as he realized what just happened. "Now, let's win this!"

"…Yes. For our future, and the world we wish to live in." Chrom nodded once, and looked everyone in the eye. I glanced at everyone worriedly, particularly Olivia. She had wished to fight with us, as her Dancer's Gift could be useful, but she wasn't the best of fighters. "Shepherds…" Everyone tensed. Ready. Waiting. "CHARGE!"

Chrom, Robin, and I were the first ones to jump down, but that was less 'leaders by example' and more out of self-presevation. It was a lot easier for the horses to charge if the on-foot combatants were out of the way. We heard echoes of war cries and the quiet 'rumble' of other charges, showing the Feroxi soldiers had charged with us. Flavia and hers to our right. Basilio and his to our left. And we Shepherds in the center, because that's what Gangrel was. Dead center.

Gangrel saw us too, and charged with his own soldiers. And he headed straight for Chrom. "Good day, my little princeling!" he mocked, stopping just short. His smile was far too wide to be anything but 'mad'. "Still dreaming of your squashed sister?"

"I put my sister to rest, Gangrel," Chrom retorted coolly, also stopping. He glared, and brought his sword up. The rest of us kept on running, though both Robin and I slowed, worried. "But no more talk. You'll die here today, and peace will return to Ylisse and Plegia."

"Pah! Such hypocrisy!" Gangrel spat at Chrom's feet. "You despise me! You want to cut me down! You don't know the first thing about peace! Same as me!" He cackled suddenly. "Gods you are me! When life questions, you answer with blood!"

"Yes, I will never be my sister. I cannot forgive people like you. Were I alone, I would've become you, or my father. I am not so blind that I do not recognize this." Chrom smirked then. "But, I'm not alone. Unlike you, and unlike my father, I have my friends. So, I know I won't stray."

"What a flower harangue! I fear I might vomit." Gangrel snarled, lighting crackling along his sword. Levin Sword. "Men are beasts! We fight! We kill! We devour our prey! Just as your precious Holy Swordsman did when she led the purge of the Plegian Ghettos!"

"…"

"Beasts do not stand behind beasts, little prince! They use each other so long as it suits their own selfish purpose!"

"…I pity you." Chrom's smirk faded, and Gangrel's snarl dropped for shock. "I hate you. I despise you. But I pity you as well. You are nothing but madness, a poison. A festering wound, carved out by my father and Clara."

"Shut up, you little-"

"But if that is what you truly believe, then it is no wonder your soldiers refuse to stand with you. Enough with words, Gangrel. I am a warrior, same as you. And I will do what my sister could not."

"Such a clever tongue!" Gangrel lunged, striking wildly. "It will look quite fetching hanging on my mantle!"

Chrom, however, blocked the blade and shoved him off. "Then try to win it."

Part of me wanted to stay near, just in case, but I had other duties. Chrom could take care of himself. I had my own battles to fight. So, I turned away and fell on the closest soldier, beginning my own attack. Robin's plan relied on speed and strength. We were going to hit hard and fast. Break their guard, and make them yield. And I had my own part to play.

So, I fought. I blocked and countered. I stabbed and killed. All the while, I was well aware that this was with a 'weakened' force. But they fought like rabid animals, and I recognized why. They were in a corner. And you never backed a desperate enemy into a corner. Except we did, because that's what war was.

I focused mainly on the archers, worried for Cordelia and Sumia. They were dodgy, and fought well together, but Phila's death still haunted me. So, I made a point to pick them off, which bit me in the ass when a mage decided to target me. Fire crashed into my shoulder, and I automatically dropped my shoulder as my arm reacted to the pain. I twisted, eyes narrowed as I caught sight. I debated a few things, and then decided to scoop up a fallen bow and arrow and shoot. It went wide, and the bowstring caught awkwardly on my gauntlets, but it was enough to make them stumble, and it was enough for me to scoop up my sword again and charge, cutting them down. As I did, I noticed something that made me yelp. Olivia was surrounded. Holding her own, but surrounded.

I bolted for her, but slid in the sand and then had to shake the sweat from my eyes. The heat was beating down on us, and quite a few of the fighters had dropped from the heat. That left openings, and I was certain that was why Olivia was in danger in the first place. I had to get to her, but there were a lot of obstacles in the way.

"Damn, this is longer than I hoped." Something bumped into my back, and I almost attacked. But then I glanced over my shoulder, and saw white hair. "Kestrel," Robin called. "That you? Feels like you."

"You can tell it's me just by my back?" I teased, mostly to hide my worry. I could barely see Olivia now, but she looked injured. I thought I saw red, at least. "How long has it been?"

"Shorter than it feels, longer than I want. The sun is high in the sky, and we're reaching the hottest part of the day." He growled something, and I soon saw why. Enemy soldiers were surrounding us. "Gods, enough of this nonsense! We've got people we want to protect, and you're in the way."

"That they are." I sighed and shifted into a stance, wishing I had just a little more strength. "Oh well. We'll do this for our friends, right?"

"Right." There was… a strange spark to the air. A different sort of heat in my blood. "Now then…" Robin's brought his hand up, and I caught the edge of a spark and, strangely, of a fiery blossom. "Time to tip the scales!"

"Yes!" I prepared for a lunge, eyes narrowing at the solider in front of me. Strange purple-pink flames appeared along my blade, appearing like feathers falling from the sky. I should've been worried, but I… wasn't. Because there was something gentle to the flames despite their strangeness and darkness, like Mom's magic. "Let's hear your death rattle!"

The flames erupted around blade as I lunged and bit deep into the wound I left as I cut the soldier down. As they fell, the flames danced through the air, looking very much like soft feathers. Automatically, I reached up to snag one, and found it cool to the touch before disappearing. The rest floated into the sky, joining similarly colored 'flower petals'. I instinctively knew it was because of Robin, and turned to see he'd also dealt with one of the soldiers. The rest that had surrounded us decided to run, frightened. But Robin and I? We… well…

"THAT WAS SO COOL!" we chorused, grinning and laughing. A couple of people gave us weird looks, but we didn't care. "So cool, so cool!"

"But what _was_ it?" Robin asked once the initial wave of giddiness faded. "I mean… there were flames, and then flowers and…"

"I have _no_ idea," I admitted easily. I was still giggling, feeling like a child. But a scream reminded me I was on the battlefield, and why I'd been running this way in the first place. "Shit, Olivia!"

"I've got her!" And he was off, saving her, and I returned to my own fighting, pairing up with Gaius to deal with some particularly quick fighters. When that was done, I caught a ride with Sumia to drop me down near where Virion needed a guard, and I continued fighting there.

A bolt of lighting caught my attention, and both Virion and I jumped back as something flew past us. We stared in confusion at the strange sword, before I recognized it as a Levin Sword. Then I remembered who _had_ a Levin Sword and turned to look. And there I saw Chrom and Gangrel in combat. Both were bleeding, but Gangrel was far worse off. He, after all, had Falchion through his gut.

A strange hush fell over the field as Chrom jerked the blade out, and Gangrel crumpled. Gangrel gasped and struggled to stand, but he just fell on his face. "F-fool… of a prince…" he coughed out. Blood speckled his chin and lips. "Your people care not for you… you are… alone…" He laughed, and it gurgled. "As every man lives and dies… alone."

"…I'm sorry you feel that way." Chrom brought the sword above his head and flipped it so that the blade pointed down. "But that's all the more reason to prove you wrong."

He stabbed down, right into Gangrel's throat. Gangrel's body jerked up briefly, before passing with a quiet 'gasp'.

Silence… silence… silence… and then, one by one, the other Plegian soldiers dropped their weapons and fell to their knees. Many sobbed. More screamed. But all of them acknowledged what it meant for Gangrel to fall.

The war… was over… It was actually over.

* * *

The aftermath involved a lot of blood, a lot of tears, and a lot of pain. We stole one of the nearby forts for our infirmary, and spent quite a bit of time gathering the wounded and tucking them inside, shielding them from the harsh desert sun. The battle hadn't lasted long. But it had been too long for quite a few of the Feroxi, used to colder climates, and for the barely trained Ylisseans who insisted on fighting. It felt like a long while before Flavia, Basilio, Robin, Chrom, and I could meet up in the courtyard and talk.

"The messenger just left," Robin explained. He had blood smeared across his face and staining his coat, and he was pale from a prior fainting spell. But other than that and the sweat, he looked fine. "Terse fellow."

"Well, he's on the losing side of this war, and worse, it's a war Plegia started," Flavia pointed out. She shrugged, and winced briefly. Only those subtle winces hinted she'd taken any damage. Well, that and her ponytail falling out. She otherwise looked as fresh as a daisy. "But at least it's finished. Once their messenger delivers our terms, that's it. We put an end to the bloody business." Flavia laughed unexpectedly, and reached up to fix her ponytail. "Shortest war I've ever fought. It's been what? Three battles?"

"More than that, but I think it's only two or three you directly fought," Chrom murmured. He sighed, and shook his head. He was in fresh clothes, but that was because his shirt had gotten stained beyond repair after a particularly bad wound in the infirmary stressed and ruptured a major artery. His face was scrubbed pink. "Strange. We won, but I don't feel like celebrating."

"Victories in war tend to be bittersweet, boy," Basilio explained. He smiled kindly and patted Chrom's shoulder. Unlike the rest of us, he seemed completely unwounded and untouched by the fighting. I was certain it was just because he was amazing at hiding it. "Which one weighs more all depends on context. It's good to learn that early. Keeps you from becoming a warmonger."

"I see…" Chrom sighed. "How many dead?"

"Regna Ferox lost a good number of soldiers, unfortunately," Flavia answered. She grimaced and rolled her shoulder; she'd strained it. "Not as many as feared, but certainly more than we're used to. We need to see to our dead. Then to the living."

"I'm sorry," Chrom whispered. He looked down, and I knew why. A lot of Ylisseans had died today too. Somehow, the Shepherds escaped unscathed, though we had some near misses with Ricken and Donnel. "Ylisse will compensate-"

"Oh, don't fuss about finances, though if you really feel bad, you can give up the Fire Emblem?" She grinned, and winked as Chrom frowned. "Sorry. I wanted to get that sad look off your face. Reparations fall to Plegia for this, and don't fret. I've seen the treasury. They can _well_ afford it."

"Yes, pity the man who stands between Flavia and a full coffer, boy," Basilio joked. There was a serious to his face, though, that implied he was also serious. "It'll be fine."

"If you feel so bad, Chrom, you can cut some of the reparations we receive to be funneled to Ferox," I pointed out. I rested a hand on his shoulder and smiled. I knew I looked like a mess, but hopefully, no one cared. I'd been helping in the infirmary, after all. "If I recall correctly, Ylisse never gave reparations to Plegia when the war ended. So, take less."

"That's true. And if they ask, you can say it's the reparations Ylisse should've given. Now, granted, I don't think your coffers could afford it then, but the gesture is there."

"And, more to the point, you're prove yourself different." I squeezed his shoulder. "It'll be harder to recover, but we can make that effort, right? To make it a little easier to repair the trust between Plegia and Ylisse?"

"Listen to you two, being all political." Basilio suddenly laughed, grinning. "But, come on. Instead of us yammering on and on, Chrom, shouldn't you be giving your bride a victory kiss?" He laughed more as Chrom and I both went bright red. Flavia and Robin joined in on the laughter. "Come here, Robin. You can serve as his representative while those two have a moment."

"We can go get Lissa too," Robin suggested. He was already walking off, with a snickering Flavia following. "That way we'll have a royal viewpoint."

"Hold on a moment!" Chrom protested. However, all three of them continued on, waving. "That's… uh…"

"Honestly, these people," I grumbled, facepalming. This was ridiculous. "It's not like our wits have left us."

"Well, I _am_ madly in love with you." He grinned brightly at my scowl. "So, less reparations."

"It was just a suggestion." I shrugged. "You could also just take it and give it to Ferox."

"No, I like it." He ran a hand over my hair, lingering on where blood had caked in. "I do value your insight, you know."

"I'm still not used to being a leader, though." I sighed, feeling blue suddenly. "I lock up. It's easier when it's just me and you."

"You'll get better in time. And I'll be learning how to be an Exalt beside you. I thought it would be ages before I inherited, after all." He continued stroking my hair, eyes a little distant. "You know…"

"Yes?"

"It occurred to me, while I was fighting Gangrel…" His hand fell to mine and he took it gently. "We've all been assuming… but I never formally asked."

"Formally asked what?"

"This." He lifted my hand and deliberately kissed my ring finger. My thoughts stopped. "Kestrel, you are the wind at my back, and the sword at my side. So much a part of me that I can barely remember what life was like without you. Though I dragged you into a war…"

"That I chose to fight. Believe me; I know how to run. I… chose not to." I smiled gently at him. "I chose to stand my ground, for once. I'm glad."

"As I am. So…" His face went a little red. "Will you marry me?"

"Of course." Now _my_ face went red, and I laughed. "Oh, wow, you're right. You never did formally ask. We just…"

"Assumed. But I wanted to be proper. I wished I had a ring for you, though."

"I don't need a ring. I have you."

"You…" He laughed softly and then leaned in, kissing me fiercely. "You are too wonderful. I am the happiest man alive, right now."

"And I, the happiest woman." I laughed, and kissed him back. And then I realized something. "Oh, wait, seriously, Chrom? I look like a complete mess, and you propose formally _now_?"

"Why not? You're sweaty and gross from helping people." He grinned, and I huffed, looking away. "Besides, it's not like I looked much better before I scrubbed."

"But you still did!" I sighed, feeling grumpy. "Horrible timing."

"I'm sorry."

"You are not."

"No, I'm not, because you said 'yes'." He laughed, and I relented. "I'll be sure to give you the ring when you're nice and clean, though."

"You're horrible." I made a face, and he laughed again. "Well, I suppose it doesn't matter. We have a lot of work ahead of us."

"Yes, we must see to our people." He cupped my face and smiled. "But we'll do it together, my love. We'll build a peaceful world."

"We will. That's a promise."

He kissed me again, and no small part of me felt guilty. My… my very presence threatened that peace he wanted. But I closed my eyes and let myself enjoy the kiss. I wanted to be happy. Couldn't I be happy, just for a bit? I hoped so. Gods, I hoped so.

* * *

 _Notes on Tharja_

 _Class – Dark Mage; Reclass – Knight, Archer_

 _A dark mage from Plegia, skilled with curses, who joined the Shepherds because she disliked Gangrel. Cold, but with a quite kindness to her. If you get close enough._

 _Skilled in the art of Dark Magic, with the power to back it up, though she does have some difficulties with accuracy. Like most with dark magic, she trained more for survivability; dark magic can kill the caster if you're not careful._

 _Has a crush on Robin, to the point that it's almost… creepy. Robin, either because he is oblivious or has no context due to amnesia, seems to just laugh it off. Others, though, try to divert her attentions away. She seems to be genuinely close to Gaius, though._

* * *

Author's note: And thus, the first arc ends. As a reminder, I am only doing the _last_ of the Spotpass maps (Priam's). So, Gangrel is definitively dead. If Chrom doesn't have an S support, and has an available bride, he'll 'auto-S' with one, based off of mechanics that I don't want to get into. The 'coming on like a wyvern in heat' and 'you are the wind at my back and the sword at my side' come from his S support with a female!Robin.

I am treating 'Ignis' as a sort of 'bloodline' skill, something related to being descendant from Grima. As such, both Robin and Kestrel get access to it (as well as their kids). The in-game animation shows a show of petals (possibly because the Japanese name for the skill contains one of the Kanji for Flower), which is kept for Robin, but Kestrel gets feathers for hers for… fun.

In-game, the mission is a 'rout', but it felt more 'right' to have it end with Gangrel's death.

Next Chapter – Interlude, Betrothed


	24. Interlude - Betrothed

Interlude – Betrothed

* * *

 _Gangrel is dead. We linger in Plegia to make sure of it, and to assist in initial repairs. Then we briefly returned to Regna Ferox to recuperate before marching to Ylisstol, to deal with the stranglers of the Plegia army. Most of them surrendered on sight, and the people greet Chrom with cheers and laughter. However, that cheer is tempered by the sorrow of losing Emmeryn, and the uncertainty for what's to come. Fortunately, they cheered back up pretty quickly. Unfortunately, they did so because some maids caught Chrom and me kissing, and rapidly spread the word that Chrom had a fiancé. Me._

 _Oh, I feel like all my trouble is just staring…_

* * *

"Why is there so much… everything?" I groaned, wanting to just flop to the floor and lie there. Only the fact that Maribelle was here stopped me. "So much…"

"What is there too much of, darling?" Maribelle asked. She was frowning over some papers at a table. "If it's the room, this is just yours until you marry Chrom. Then you'll share."

"I've actually managed to get used to large rooms thanks to you crazy lot." I eyed the large pile of clothes on the bed warily. I was in the middle of trying to 'properly' hang them in the closet. The far too large closet. "Everything else? Not so much."

"Hmm? Oh, those are just some things for the next few months. You'll get properly measured and the like for proper clothes later." She gestured to the other chair at the table. "Sit, darling. The maids will be by later to hang them up."

"Why are there so many?" I whimpered as I sat down, doing my best to not think of how much it all cost. "And how do I pay for it?"

"You're marrying the Exalt of Ylisse. Chrom pays."

"We're recovering from a war!" And I was more or less certain some of those dresses could've bought food for a family of six for a month. Plus, Chrom was in the middle of dealing with the nobles who'd betrayed Emmeryn during the assault on Ylisstol. I'd rather be helping him with that, not dealing with… clothes… "Ah… I don't get any of this…"

"…" Maribelle looked up and smiled softly at me. "That's okay, Kestrel. You'll get used to it."

"I'm not so sure." Moving into the castle, as Chrom's fiancé, had been as disorienting as a bucket of ice water to the face in the middle of winter. There were people always trying to talk to me, or trying to ask my opinion on something, or trying to serve me something. "Damn it. I knew the two of us should've moved into the room, but the hallway had been empty…"

"The people are wonderfully happy that Chrom has a fiancé." She went back to her papers, frowning at them. "It gives them an excuse to celebrate, especially since Emmeryn's funeral had been…"

"Yeah…" Flavia had arranged for Emmeryn's body to be returned to Ylisstol, and we had a proper funeral for her. Three days later, Chrom and I'd kissed in the hallway after I'd cheered him up, and now, I was stuck in all this mess far earlier than Chrom and I had planned. "What are you even working on?"

"Hmm? Oh, I'm going over potential names for your ladies in waiting."

"Oh." I vaguely remembered reading about 'ladies in waiting' during all the lessons she and Virion had given me. But only vaguely. "How many would I need?"

"You'd need at least two, darling. Preferably more, considering all the tasks." She hummed a bit, penciling things down. "There's many, many duties, so-"

"Can't I just have you and Sumia?" My voice was smaller than I wanted, and I felt stupid as she stared. "Or… um… I just… I actually know you two. And I know… you don't hate me…"

"…Darling, I would never let anyone who hated you so close." And she smiled sweetly at me. "But I'd be honored, truthfully, and I can handle interviews in your name."

"That would be nice."

"In exchange, you have to ask Sumia yourself." Her smile warmed. "I'll be able to hear her squeal of delight from anywhere, so don't fret."

"Okay." I relaxed, finally smiling back. "Thanks, Maribelle. I'm completely lost."

"I know. But that's why I'm here to help. Same to Lissa, when she's not busy with her own duties." She winked, and laughed. "And… well, actually, should I let a few in who think they can seduce Chrom?"

"Huh?" Instantly, panic flooded me. "W-what?"

"It's not uncommon for kings to have mistresses, and some want the title of Lady in Waiting to get that." She said the words lightly, but my panic must've showed on my face because she instantly stiffened. "Oh, darling! I'm sorry! I only suggested it because I thought it would be funny to see them fail!"

"Th-they would?"

"Of course. Chrom's only got eyes for you, darling silly." Maribelle stood up to kneel beside me, and took my hands gently. "And he's so oblivious. I sincerely thought it would just be funny."

"I just…" I sighed, looking away. "It all feels too much like a dream, really. And…"

"It's no dream, I assure you." She reached up and pinched my cheek, just hard enough for a flicker of pain. "But I'll keep them far, far away until you're more secure, darling." She smiled sweetly. "Now, then. Why don't you go ask Sumia while I work a little more on names?"

"…Okay." I smiled again, relieved. "Thanks, Maribelle."

"Of course, darling." She sat down again, and picked up a piece of paper. "Go on, go on."

When I did eventually find Sumia, tending to her pegasus, her squeal of delight was exactly as loud as Maribelle predicted, and her immediate acceptance was more than enough to reassure me. I could only hope whoever else they picked was as easy to get along with.

* * *

"Soooo…~" Chrom grinned and turned towards me, posing dramatically. "How do I look?" he asked, laughing. "Well?"

"You're absolutely ridiculous," I teased, laughing too. I couldn't believe… when he'd invited me over to his room, I'd been expecting him in his normal clothes, not… "What are you even wearing?"

"It's traditional to dress up!" Chrom pitched his voice to be dignified, gallant. The effect was ruined by the rabbit ears he wore on his head, complete with a flower, and the little bushy tail only mostly hiding behind the white cape. Which also had flowers, on the hem and where it was tied at his shoulder. He even had a flower wrapped around the ankle of one of his boots. "Does this waistcoat look alright?"

"You look ridiculous as I said." But, I suppose you do look very nice, when you factor that into it." The light blue and gold did suit him. "You're just…"

"Ah, hang on. I've a costume for you too!" He ducked back into the closet and pulled out a dress of similar light blues and golds, though with more whites. Flowers were, of course, on the hems and bodice. "Frederick made this for you."

"He _made_ it?!" I gawked at it, noticing how the sleeves were poofy. All of it was poofy. "That's…"

"You change, and I'll get the accessories he picked out. And your own bunny ears." He grinned and I gave him a look. "Yes, bunny ears are required, my love."

"You're lucky I love you."

"Oh, I'm well aware of that." He leaned down to kiss me sweetly. "I'll be right back." And he darted out the room with a skip in his step. Or, I supposed, a 'spring' in his step.

I scowled at his back anyway, and held up the dress again, frowning now. I definitely had to wear it if Frederick had made it for me, but I wasn't used to this whole 'here, have new clothes for every single freaking day of the year' thing that everyone was pushing on me. I wished the money, and time, were directed elsewhere, but I had no idea how to actually tell people that. Especially when I seemed to be the only one feeling awkward.

I shook my head roughly, and worked on changing, trying to not get lost in the lace and cloth of the dress. It was surprisingly light, perfect for the warming weather, even if I did feel like I was a little kid playing pretend, like I'd seen in the streets sometimes.

"Safe to come back?" Chrom called. He knocked on the door, but stayed outside. "I've your shoes and jewelry and the like."

"Yeah, I'm dressed," I replied. I felt embarrassed as he walked in and stared, absently setting most of whatever he held on a nearby table. "How do I look?"

"Beautiful. As always." He kissed my cheek and the tip of my nose before sliding a bunny-ear-headband on me. "And now the outfit is complete, my queen of spring."

"You're ridiculous." I smiled, but it faltered as he looked at me worriedly. "What is it?"

"Your smiles have been strained recently." He rested his hand on my cheek, fingers lingering by my eye. "And your eyes are a little puffy, like you haven't been sleeping. I thought I was just being a worrywart, but Robin pointed it out too."

"Robin's the bigger worrywart of you two." I ducked my head, eyes darting to the side. "It's nothing important, Chrom."

"I beg to differ." He tried to nudge my face back up to look at him, but didn't press when I refused. "Whatever is bothering you is quite important to me."

"I'm just… overwhelmed, that's all."

"…I'm sorry."

"Chrom, it's not your fault." I reached up to take his hand, though I still looked away. "It's just… very different than what I'm used to. That's not necessarily a bad thing. But…"

"What do you need changed?"

"Chrom…"

"What do you need changed?" He ducked down to catch my eye, and smiled softly. "What needs to change, so that you're more comfortable?"

"…Well, less clothes would be nice." The words came out slowly. I felt whiny. "There's too many. I get like twenty everyday."

"I'll let the tailors know." He leaned in, brushing his nose against mine. "Anything else?"

"I think… the rest is just things I need to get used to." I smiled at him, and I kissed him when he looked saddened. "You have to run a country. You can't do that and shield me from everything. Especially since I do want to help you." In fact, most of my issues was that I felt I was doing far too little for what I was getting.

"But…" He sighed, nodding. "No, you're right. You and I are equals. And you'll be annoyed at being shielded before long."

"I've had to fight for everything." I rested my hand and his chest, feeling his heart beating under my palms. "So, this is just… another fight for what I want. You."

"You have me. All of me." He rested his hand on mine, squeezing gently. "Ah, but we'd better head outside. The others are waiting." He shifted so that he was holding my hand, fingers intertwined with mine, and he started to lead me out before remembering something. "Your shoes."

"Yes, I do kind of need those." I grinned teasingly as he flushed. "Let me get those on, at least."

I got the shoes and a couple bits of jewelry on, absently checking that the engagement ring he'd given me, a beautiful diamond one, was on my hand before I let him lead me outside. I flinched at how loud everything was, but managed to keep up my smile as we dove headfirst into the crowd. I glanced around absently while Chrom greeted people with a smile, noticing with amusement that almost everyone was dressed up, with the Shepherds going full out for it. Even Lon'qu had bunny ears, and he looked exasperated by the whole thing, though he softened when Maribelle smiled at him.

"Chrom, Kestrel, there you are!" Robin called suddenly. I burst into laughter when I saw he was dressed similarly to Chrom, except with purples instead of blues. "About time! Olivia and I were about to come in and bother you!"

"W-we were not!" Olivia yelped. She was dressed in a simple dress, with lots of flower jewelry and, of course, bunny ears. I noticed she was leaning a little into Robin. "We were going to the egg rolling contest."

"Come on. I have to tease." Robin grinned, waving. "Catch you guys later!" He and Olivia disappeared, and some part of me was curious by how much time he spent with her. But, I mostly smiled because…

"It's so strange, being at a festival," I murmured. Chrom bent down to better hear me. "We never did anything like this before. We were always on the move. Actually participating in festivals was…"

"Well, now you can do this every year," he whispered. He smiled softly, and brought up our clasped hands to kiss mine. "Come on. Let's decorate some eggs first."

"Okay!"

* * *

I couldn't do this. I couldn't do this, I couldn't do this, I couldn't do this, I couldn't do this, I couldn't do this. I just couldn't!

"Lady Kestrel, please, focus on your breathing." Frederick knelt beside me, resting a reassuring hand on my shoulder. He'd led me out of the ballroom during the chaos, and into a side room where no one would bother me. "Deep breaths," he instructed. I struggled to listen, but panic was overwhelming me. It seemed ridiculous. I could dance across a battlefield, kill without thinking. But a social situation, a ball, left me a wreck. "Keep it slow."

"I'm sorry," I blurted, the words shaking. I tried to find my calm, but it had fled. Instead, I was tempted, sorely tempted, to run, but I did keep myself sitting in the chair Frederick had pulled up. "I don't even know what I did!" My voice cracked and tears slipped down my face. I wasn't good enough. I wasn't good enough for this. "I…"

"You did nothing. He is someone who is simply insulted because Chrom didn't choose his sister for his bride." Frederick produced a handkerchief from nowhere and used it to dry my face. "You did absolutely nothing wrong, Lady Kestrel. I promise."

"But…"

"You did nothing. You were perfect."

"But…" But I had to have done something. It had been my first 'official' ball as Chrom's fiancé, my second official appearance, and I'd somehow managed to get a nobleman to demand a duel for… something. "I…"

"Should I get Lord Chrom?"

"N-no!" I shook my head roughly, and then swiped at my eyes. The diamond on my ring scratched my cheek. "No, he needs to keep things calm. If anything, I should…"

"You're doing fine. Focus on your breathing."

"I'm sorry." This was just pathetic…

"So, let's try door number thirty…" The door opened with a creek, and Cordelia suddenly peeked into the room, and smiled warmly. "Found you!" she said, slipping inside. She made sure to shut the door behind her and leaned against it. "So, Frederick, what's this about a duel? Shepherds are up in arms wanting to defend Kestrel."

"Of course they are," Frederick laughed. He stood and rested a reassuring hand on my shoulder. I just focused on my breathing so that I stopped hyperventilating. "Basically, a noble is being a sore loser."

"Of course." She frowned and crossed her arms. "So, how does an 'official' duel go? Does she fight herself?"

"No, as she's the Exalt's fiancé, she'll need a champion."

"And are you that champion?"

"Sadly, by law, since I am Lord Chrom's right hand and the current highest rank military officer, I am unable." He grimaced. "I'm regretting that now. I would've liked to put him in his place."

"Soooo, can I?" Cordelia smiled hopefully, eyes sparkling. "Can pegasus knights?"

"Yes, of course. It simply has to be a knight." He looked down at me, and smiled. I was pleased that I'd finally got my breathing back under control, though I was still weepy. "Is that acceptable?"

"I… well, if I'm unable to fight, and she wants to…?" I replied. I felt so lost, but I smiled, touched. "I see no problem."

"Perfect!" Cordelia cheered. She came over to hug me tightly before grinning. "I'm going to make sure my pegasus and weapons are in perfect condition. I'll see you later!" She left without another word, making a point to make sure the door was shut behind her.

"You know; as queen, you'll need an official bodyguard," Frederick began absently. He patted my back soothingly, smile warming. "We might make Cordelia that, after this. If you don't mind."

"The concept of having a bodyguard is strange to me, but I suppose I have to adapt to it," I replied. My voice was a little shaky still. "I'm perfectly okay with it being Cordelia, though, if she doesn't mind."

"I doubt she'd mind at all."

"There you are!" Lissa burst in then and gave me a hug. The door smacked agains thte wall, but she clearly didn't care. "Oh, man, I could strangle that horrible… ooooo…!" she growled, popping back to look at me. She used her sleeves to wipe off the rest of my tears. I just looked at her with incomprehension. "Also, I asked Maribelle, and she was positively certain you did nothing wrong, certainly nothing that would mean a duel." She smiled and kissed my forehead before hugging me again. "And if Maribelle is saying that, then you definitely know it's true."

"Did Cordelia tell you where she was?" Frederick asked. He laughed when she nodded. "Very well. I should make sure preparations are made correctly for the duel. If you do not mind missing the rest of the ball…"

"Oh, please, I'm sticking with my sister in law." Lissa huffed, scowling. "And I'm going to put so many frogs in that noble's bed!"

"Don't do that," I scolded instantly. "The maids will have to clean that up."

"That's… true," Lissa sighed. She got a sparkle in her eyes, though, and Frederick left us quietly as she sat down on the floor beside me. "Maybe some hot peppers in his soup!"

"Are you seriously going to prank him?"

"Of course!" She gave me a serious look. "He waited to pull that until he had the most public audience, just to try and make you look bad. And I'm going to show him that that's not tolerated! So are Maribelle and Sumia." She grinned wickedly. "And Sully. It's going to be glorious. He's going to regret doing this!"

"So much trouble…"

"Bah, he's lucky Olivia and Lon'qu stopped Robin. He was ready to strike him down, right then and there!" Lissa giggled at the thought, but I had to squirm, well aware that Robin could do just that. "Oh, wait, can I ask Gaius to steal stuff from him?"

"I… let him decide?"

"Goodie~!" Lissa laughed, and leaned against my leg. "But seriously, you were doing great. I was talking to Virion when it all happened, and he'd been saying you were the picture of elegance."

"Like him?"

"Like him!" She grinned again, and this time, I had to laugh. "So, anyway, I figured we hide a bit longer, and then sneak over to the barracks for a proper party. Virion was heading over when I left to get things set up."

"Okay…" I smiled down at her, and ruffled her hair. "Thanks."

"Always!"

* * *

There was a lot of back and forth on when the duel would be, eventually deciding on three days after the ball, at midday. Unfortunately, Chrom had a meeting with Flavia's representative, one he couldn't defer, so he couldn't be here with me. I'd put on a brave face for him, reassuring him that I'd be fine. I'd still been relieved when Robin arrived, looking like he'd just popped out of a bath, and gave me a huge hug.

"I managed to postpone all _my_ stupid meetings over supplies and whatnot, so don't fret about me skipping out on work," he reassured. He fussed a bit over my hair and jewelry, smiling. "I knew you'd be nervous."

"Yes, well, I'm not exactly…" I began. I had no idea how to continue the sentence though, so I shrugged. "Anyway, what's with you and Olivia? You hang out a lot."

"I… that…" He paused, glancing up as he thought before shrugging. "Who knows? I sure don't. No memories to fall back on to determine a logical conclusion."

"Do we need to…?" I started to offer to listen, but then realized how bad of an idea that would be in a hurry. "Why not talk to Frederick?"

"Is that our default with emotional issues? Talk to Frederick?"

"Well, I suppose Libra is now an option. You'd want someone who at least appears emotionally stable." I felt myself relax, giggling. "Ah, thank you."

"Good, you're smiling. It'll be fine." He hugged me again, patting my back. "Now, come on. We have to head out."

"Must we?" My stomach turned at the thought. We'd have to make our way to the 'trial grounds', set up specifically for things like this. It would be my third 'official' appearance as Chrom's fiancé, and the first one without him. And without Lissa, because Lissa was busy meeting with Plegian diplomats for Chrom. "No, you're right."

"Of course I am!" He grinned and I scowled before smiling back, and he cheerfully walked with me to the Trial Grounds, babbling out all sorts of gossip from the Shepherds, including how he'd caught Panne and Stahl kissing just yesterday. That one startled me, since I wouldn't have thought Panne would kiss anyone and made me curious about what other couples had blossomed. But that was thoughts for another day.

I hesitated again when we arrived at the grounds, but I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before entering with my head held high, just like Virion and Maribelle taught me. To my surprise, I was greeted with cheers, and it took a couple of seconds to realize that the stands of the trial grounds, so similar to Ferox's sacred arena, were filled with people. The nobleman who'd declared the duel was already in the battleground, and he looked rather pale in light of the cheering.

"Why so loud?" I asked Robin as the two of us made our escorted way to the viewing stand. There was only one chair there, but Robin had no problems simply standing beside me, grinning. "I mean…"

"In case you forgot, dearest sister, you fought for their freedom," Robin gently reminded. He smiled warmly, looking very pleased with himself. "And, well, we Shepherds had a few days. The others were eager to help out…"

"Oh, gods, what did you do?"

"Simply told people how amazing my sister is. And the Shepherds happily told people about how you fought alongside us, saved Lissa when we first met, saved Emmeryn when assassins struck, kept Chrom and me from insulting Flavia, fought to earn Ferox's troops alongside us, saved Maribelle when Gangrel used her as a hostage…"

"Enough, enough!" My face was bright red, and I scowled at him. "You make it sound better than it is."

"I'm simply stating facts!" Robin huffed, but smiled sheepishly. "And, well, they kind of got me back. They spread stories about me too."

"Have you been having trouble?"

"Not nearly as much as you. I, after all, was very visible in being the tactician. I'll probably be in more trouble when Chrom gives me that title he threatened." He nudged my side and I did bend enough to smile. "I knew having people cheering you would lighten your spirits. You've been very gloomy since that ball."

"Sorry…"

"I'm your big brother. You never have to apologize to me."

"You're my elder twin. You're not _that_ much older."

"It's enough!" He laughed, and I laughed too, relaxing fully. "Oh, there's Cordelia!"

"Ah!" I leaned forward as I noticed he was right. Cordelia, armor shining and hair actually tied back for once, walked into the center to cheers. She looked rather startled by it, but smiled and actually waved to a few. She then looked up to where Robin and I were and waved again, this time winking. I smiled back, but it fell when she looked away.

"What's wrong?" Robin whispered. He rested a hand on my back soothingly. "You should smile for her."

"I know that, but…" I began. I tried to think of how to voice my feelings. The relief she was here. The worry. The guilt. "Well…"

"It's her choice." Robin rubbed my back. "And don't fret so much. She'll have this done in… two hits? Maybe three."

"Well, she's certainly skilled but…" I frowned and looked up at him. "You did something."

"I might have ferreted out his known weak points and gave them to Cordelia." He smiled angelically in return. "If he's going to try and humiliate my sister, I'm going to return the favor a thousand fold."

"…Oh, dear." I felt bad now. Robin had used the stories both to boost my reputation _and_ to make sure there was a very large audience for a humiliating defeat. "Ah, is it starting?"

"Yep!"

I didn't know the person who announced the duel's start. I barely paid attention as I leaned forward to watch. But I should've saved my worry because Robin was right. Cordelia had him flat on his ass in two strikes, surprisingly brutal strikes given how I'd seen her fight before. It could be simply because she wasn't on her pegasus, but there was a surety in her strikes. A fierceness to them.

"I… I…" the nobleman began. His face was ashen as he stared, too terrified for the mortification to kick in yet. "You… you're…"

"I give my best for my lady," Cordelia declared softly. The words still echoed through the air, and tears pricked my eyes as I smiled. "Kestrel is my queen, and so, I give her my best. That's all there is to it." The entire crowd burst into applause, and I struggled to not cry. I gave Cordelia the brightest smile I could when she looked up, and she smiled back with a bright one of her own.

Robin rested a hand on my shoulder and gave me a 'see, I told you' look. I half-heartedly whacked his shoulder, but smiled at him. He shifted to give me a one-armed hug and let me rest against him as I worked on calming down. It was what I needed, and he freely gave it.

* * *

"Your hair is so soft, Kestrel," Sumia cooed as she brushed my hair. She went through it slowly, brushing until a section basically shone before going to the next. "I'm jealous."

"I remember your hair also being soft," I pointed out. I sat very still in front of the vanity, studying the cloth that covered the mirror. "You have nothing to be jealous about."

"Come on; it's your wedding day. Just accept the compliments." Sumia giggled, still brushing my hair. "I'm glad it's finally quiet, though. Maribelle was brilliant in getting them out."

"Seriously." I breathed a sigh of relief. There had just been so many people, all insisting that they had to do something for me. Maribelle had noticed how overwhelmed I was getting and thrown them out with various tasks, before going to help Lissa with… whatever bridesmaids needed to do. Leaving me with my 'maid of honor', Sumia, to take in the quiet before the chaos. "This is a whirlwind of… stuff."

"That's one way to put it." Sumia hummed a bit, giggling. "The dress looks nice on you."

"I'd hope so, considering how much time was spent getting it tailored." I shuddered remembering that. But I had to admit the dress was still very pretty. White with a transparent blue over-skirt thing decorated with small flowers, and blue ribbons cinching the back. It was a bit lower cut than I'd normally wear, but considering the jewelry I wore, the lower cut made it less likely to get caught on something. "Four hours…"

"That's pretty small, considering."

"Ugh…" I made a face and she laughed, still brushing my hair. "…We're still trying to rebuild, though. Is it not too soon…?"

"It's been a few months."

"I know." It was summer now. The war had ended with the start of spring. "But still, will the people think…"

"Oh, Kestrel…" She laughed again and set the brush down. "You worry too much." She went over to the nearby window and opened it. A gentle breeze wafted in, carrying laughter and music. "They're already celebrating, you know." She turned back to smile at me. "Besides, you and Chrom were watching the budget closely, and you insisted on things like a public feast for the people, so that they didn't have to worry about dinner for a night."

"Well, yeah… it's pretty sucky starving while everyone else is…" I struggled to explain, but then shrugged. It was just an old memory now. "Never mind."

"And your experience and past can be used to help others. As queen, you're allowed to introduce policies as well." She giggled and came back over to continue brushing my hair. "But that's for after your wedding and your break."

"Yeah, our 'break'." I laughed at the thought. Chrom and I were just going to some estate a few days away, the former home of a noble who'd betrayed Emmeryn. While he'd opted to not execute anyone, but had stripped them of their titles, making us worry about future trouble. But, for now, there was a vacant house where Chrom and I were… probably going to work.

"I'm going to have to make sure you two don't take work along, aren't I?" Sumia poked my cheek, pouting. "You should simply enjoy your time together."

"We have our whole lives for that." I paused and groaned. "Oh, gods, that sounded like a line from one of the Ribald tales we like."

"I bet it is one!" She laughed and set the brush down again. This time, though, it was to set a small headpiece in my hair, and pinning the veil to it. "Oh, what's this?" As she picked up the veil, though, we found a small box underneath that neither of us recognized.

"That's strange." Frowning, I took it carefully, checking for anything that looked or smelled odd. Finding nothing, I opened it to find a beautiful set of diamond earrings. "Oh…"

"Wow, that goes so well with the rest of your jewelry…" Sumia leaned over my shoulder to study them better. "Actually, isn't it a perfect match for your wedding ring?"

"It is." I picked one up to hold it in the light, marveling at how it sparkled. "I wonder if Maribelle wanted to do a switch?"

"Maybe. It would make sense, and then she probably got distracted." Sumia finished with the veil and then helped me change out my earrings to these new ones. "Wow… are you sure you don't want to see your reflection?"

"Absolutely." I was feeling nervous and jittery. I didn't need any reminder of my father today. "I'll take everyone's word."

"Well, in that case, you look amazing." Sumia giggled and hugged me. Just then, though, someone knocked on the door. "Come in?"

"Hey there!" Robin walked in, looking rather nice in his suit. "Here comes the bride~ here comes the bride~" he sang, teasing. I blushed furiously, and glowered. "Come on, sister. It's your wedding. Smile!"

"I'd better go get to my place," Sumia laughed, giving me another hug. "Let's talk at the after party, Kestrel!"

"Okay!" I replied, watching her leave. Two seconds later, I heard her squeak and almost fall. "Oh dear."

"Frederick wasn't far behind me, so he'll make sure she gets there safely," Robin reassured me. He held his hands out to me, smiling brightly. "Come on, Kestrel. It's time for your wedding."

"I suppose so." It felt so strange, and I almost felt like crying. I'd never thought I'd… I hadn't even entertained the thought. I read the stories, of course, but… "This is so different than where I'd thought we'd be a year ago."

"Maybe me getting amnesia was the best thing for us." He smiled and rested his forehead against mine, giving me a hug. "I do not know what secrets you still hide, Kestrel. I know there's still some. But that's okay. I hate that you burden yourself with them, but don't force yourself to speak. We deserve to be happy, though, and I want you to be the happiest that you can."

"…Okay." I smiled back, and had to fight back tears. "You know; if you make my makeup run before the ceremony, Maribelle is going to whack you."

"That'll be bad." He leaned back with a laugh and helped me stand up. "Let's go."

"Right!"

* * *

 _Notes on Donnel_

 _Class – Villager; Reclass – Mercenary, Fighter_

 _A young man we accidentally recruited while helping him deal with bandits. Because his original home is on the outer regions of Ylisse, he speaks with a notable accent._

 _The only Shepherd without formal training, and it's obvious that he needs to play catch up. Luckily, we have quite a bit of free time._

 _High aptitude and eager to learn. If he trains, it's possible he'd become one of our strongest, due to his incredibly keen memory._

* * *

Author's notes: So the Spring Festival mentioned here is based off of an event from FE heroes, with Chrom's outfit based off the outfit from there. I apologize for leaving out the wedding proper, but as the title implies, I wanted to focus just more on the whirlwind of events that happen between the end of the war and the wedding (i.e. when Kestrel is Chrom's betrothed).

Next Chapter – Interlude, Blaze


	25. Interlude - Blaze

Interlude – Blaze

* * *

 _The wedding went surprisingly well. Supposedly, there had been some mishaps, but I honestly didn't notice. Granted, I'd been far more focused on keeping calm through the ceremony and the reception. I learned from Maribelle that she had no idea where the earrings had come from, and there was a quick check over them to make sure there was no slow poison on them. But no, they were just simple earrings, and quickly proved to be a favorite thanks to how simple, yet elegant, they were._

 _Chrom and I had a blissful little honeymoon before returning to work. That's when it actually clicked. I was married. I was Chrom's wife. I was Queen of Ylisse. Gods, this is so damn weird._

* * *

"Queen Kestrel, welcome, welcome!" The general air of cheerfulness followed Cordelia and me as we made our way through the market. It was so strange to see and so odd to hear. No stranger had ever greeted me so happily before, and… well, I never expected to be much of anything, much less a queen. "Here, sample some of the fruit!"

"Cordelia, help?" I squeaked, even as I smiled and thanked people as they greeted us. I wanted my sword, but I'd been forbidden to have one. Which was probably a good thing, since I was twitchy. Crowds rarely meant good things. "Please?"

"Do you need more space?" Cordelia asked instantly. She was my only guard, my 'personal bodyguard', and _she_ carried a dagger and a lance. "Do you need to head back?"

"I don't want to head back, quite yet." It was sorely tempting, but I did want to keep going. The whole thing was planned because I remembered Emmeryn used to do this to reassure people. I thought they could use it now. Even through their smiles, I could see how their clothes were a little looser, and how many wore mourning black. "But I could use air soon."

"We're almost out of the market, Kestrel." She gave me a warm smile. "Just a bit more."

"Okay." Biting back a sigh, I looked over the crowd with smiles and polite greetings. Specific movement in the crowd, though, caught my eye, and I watched closely when I noticed it was children. Children carefully moving through the crowd, and I knew those movements. I knew those 'oh-so-conveniently-timed' bumping into people.

I nudged Cordelia and nodded to them. She nodded back and subtly began helping me maneuver through the crowd to head off the kids. When we got to the edge, we followed them for a bit longer before ducking into the alleyway. Cordelia took the rear and I casually climbed up and around, dropping in front of the two pickpockets just as they were happily comparing their conquests.

"Hello there," I greeted lightly. I studied them quickly, noticing there was a noticeable age difference between them, though still likely small given their youth. The older one's dress was patched and near threadbare in some places. The younger one's shirt was baggy, and their pants were only staying on due to the ripe tied around their waist. "Did you have fun?"

"We're not sure what you're talking about, your majesty," the older one instantly replied. They tucked the stolen moneypouch behind their back and glanced over their shoulder. Cordelia smiled and waved, proving they were very trapped. "Um…"

"Relax, relax. I remember the game well. Wait for a distraction, take advantage of how no one looks up or down, widen your eyes innocently when accused." I smiled slightly as the two exchanged confused looks. "I used to do it too, when I was very young. Though, I wasn't very good. My brother was better, quieter, though he hated it. One reason why we went into the mercenary business, actually."

"You and your brother did?" the younger one asked. They stepped a little closer to me, tentative, but a little hopeful. "Really? The Duke Tactician and our Queen?"

"It's no exaggeration that I am lowborn, and 'common mercenaries' are often former street children," I chided. I made sure to soften my smile. "Now, what was it that you wanted to buy with that money? Medicine? Food? Clothes? A little trinket to remind yourself that the world can still be pretty?"

"Food, mainly, your majesty." They gestured at their compatriot, who looked down. "Sara's sister… she just had a baby. And my little brother was sick."

"Medical costs always take up savings. Babies as well. I saw it often." My smile faltered as I remembered one particularly kind mother Robin and I had bought food from, back in Ferox. Winter stole both her and her child. I hoped… I could do something to minimize such things. "Well, how about you two come with me, and I will pay for the food you need for today?"

"Really?" the older one, Sara, asked. She looked up, eyes hopeful yet distrusting. "How do we pay it back? Papa always says you have to pay things back. So does Mia's mama."

"And I remember the pride that came with being a crafty child in the streets," I half-teased. Both of them smiled at that. Cordelia, behind them, winked. She knew it too. "Alright, here's what we'll do instead, then. I am out here to shop. If you two will accompany me, and help me find the best bargains, I will pay you." I held out my hands to them. "How does that sound?"

"…Thank you!" They seized my hands eagerly, and I happily let them lead Cordelia and me about the market, where they not only showed me the best places to shop, but also introduced me to quite a few people.

I made a mental note to see about hiring more children for simple jobs like this. I remembered how hard it could be, to scrounge up coin for everything.

* * *

The laughter of children, kids from the city hired to do odd jobs about the palace, playing in the courtyard and gardens followed Robin and I as we walked down the hall. It harmonized rather nicely with my own laughter, because my brother admitted, finally, that he'd fallen for the shy dancer.

"It took you three talks with Frederick? Really?" I teased, unable to help it. It was just so amusing to me, I was happy about it, _and_ Robin was adorable when pouting. "Three?"

"Give me a break! I don't have memories!" he snapped, face mottled red with a mortified blush. "No emotional context!"

"You're so very clever with everything else."

"Says the woman who is so very graceful at everything but dancing!"

"I'm not that bad! I did quite nicely at my wedding. I didn't step on your toes."

"Barely." He huffed, while I continued to giggle. "Well, if you tease, I must get you back. Perhaps bring up what the councilors keep 'subtly' mentioning around you?"

"I swear by all that's holy, if they ask about how 'making an heir' is going, I'm going to give them an in-depth description of my sex life, mortified or not." I scowled, remembering how I'd dealt with that just this morning. "I'm the queen, not a broodmare, and technically, Chrom _has_ an heir already. Lissa."

"True, true." Robin laughed and I relaxed again. "So…" He trailed off, frowning. "Do you hear a bell?"

"A bell?" I stilled and tilted my head, catching the sound on the wind. "Yes, it seems to be… from the city…" A horrified thought flashed through my head because I could only think of one reason why bells would be going off. "Oh, gods, is there a fire?"

"Let's go look." He paused and then look up, gasping. "That's…"

Both of us started running as we realized thick, black smoke was coiling into the sky. We were joined by others, and we quickly jumped into the panicking crowd, helping with evacuations. At some point, Frederick snagged me by the arm and dragged me from where I'd been helping with the flames. I nearly snapped at him, but he pointed out that I was the Queen, and to lose a royal so quickly would hurt the people. We compromised with me helping people over to where Libra, Lissa, and Maribelle had set up an infirmary with other healers. I calmed down the panicking, and held the hands of the injured and dying. When the fires calmed, I comforted the grieving, and reassured the lost. The fires had destroyed a quarter of the residential area, and damaged even more. Fifty died, including pets. Some were children and young.

Cordelia found me in the middle of it all, soot covered and glowering, and silently led me through the crowd to a conspicuously open place. Vaike and Stahl held two people on their knees while Chrom looked at them with stony eyes. I recognized one fairly quickly, though I'd only met him once; he still wore indigo. With him here, I had a sinking feeling I knew just why they were here, and why Cordelia had brought me over.

"I'd say you stand accused, but my Shepherds caught you red-handed," Chrom whispered into the falling silence. I stood on the edges of the crowd, resting a hand on a trembling child next to me. "You deliberately set fire to the residential area. That is arson. People died from those flames. That is murder. I'm sure there are other crimes you can be charged with." He glared as one opened their mouth. "You were caught. You were caught setting fire to the area. This is no accident. There is no lie you can say to make anyone believe you."

"Especially considering your previous crimes," Frederick added. He moved out of the crowd, carrying a silver sword. "My king, Robin has determined with the help of Miriel and Ricken that some of the fire was magically induced, explaining why it spread so quickly."

"Which matches the witness testimony of seeing these men casting fire spells at the buildings." Chrom gave them a withering look, eyes icy. "You're traitors, you remember? When Plegia came, you let them pass, holing up in your estates while your people burned. When our enemies came to Ylisstol, you welcomed them with open arms, and laughed as they slaughtered. You cheered when Emmeryn, your Exalt, was captured. Normally, those crimes would mean death, but I gave you mercy. I gave you a chance at redemption, because that is what my sister would've wanted. Yet, you used that mercy to kill and burn people who had _nothing_ to do with that decision."

"My king." Frederick held out the silver word, and the gathered crowd held its breath, realizing just what was about to happen. No few looked very gleeful at the sight. "Or would you like me to?"

"No, I will." Chrom took the blade and walked forward. The two struggled, whimpering and wide-eyed, but Vaike and Stahl continued to hold them still with stoic expressions. "Despite what you did, you thought your punishment did not fit your crimes. So, I will give you what you wish. I will give you the punishment the law dictates fits your crime."

Two flashes, and the heads rolled. Blood splattered and pooled underneath the bodies. Vaike and Stahl let the corpses fall and no one moved when they walked away, leaving the bodies. Chrom casually handed the sword back to Frederick and closed his eyes, still tense. So, I walked over to him then, and rested a hand on his shoulder. He opened his eyes to look at me, and I smiled tiredly, using my sleeve to wipe the blood off his face. Then I took his hand and led him to the injured and grieving, so that we could both tend to our people.

Later, when night had fallen and we were safely back in our room, Chrom broke down in tears. I held him as he cried, whispering reassurances. It was all either of us could do, in this situation.

* * *

There were a lot of places that needed reconstruction thanks to the war, and the fire's destruction only added to it. Chrom and I had to work extensively with the nobles and knights to get needed materials to distant villages. Even then, some nobles dragged their heels, not seeing the point with such haste. I put my foot down and told them the grisliest stories I had about winter to _make_ them move, relying on shock to override their knowledge of how winters were only 'moderate at worst' here in Ylisse. So much of our time was spent with that. We barely had any time or manpower to look into the remaining 'traitor nobles' to see if _they_ had plans for revenge.

"I brought sweets!" I called, weaving my way through the crowd to reach where the Shepherds were helping the builders. They'd thrown themselves into the work, even the ones who didn't handle physical labor well, like Miriel and Ricken. "Made them myself."

"You are a treasure, dear lady!" Virion laughed. He finished with whatever he was doing on the roof and climbed down, rolling his shoulders. "Goodness, I have never done so much manual labor in my life."

"We're not forcing you. There are other ways to help."

"Perhaps, but it gives me a better perspective for when I must rebuild Rosanne." He smiled kindly at me. "You look tired. Did your dear husband keep you up late, my dear?"

"Now, now, a lady does not kiss and tell, just like a gentleman." I laughed, though, and I knew that was the only reason he said that. I'd been complaining to him last night about how much these nobles dragged their feet on everything. "How go things here?"

"We're ahead of schedule, thanks to Nowi and Panne." He gestured to where Nowi, in dragon form, and Panne, in rabbit form, were using their larger size and strength to carry far more than humans could. "We might actually have most of the houses rebuilt, and some of the damages mended by winter."

"That's good to hear." It had been a worry. We were in the later months of autumn, and news from the farmers wasn't good. Too many fields had been trampled, so we'd likely have a lean year. "Particularly because of this morning."

"What happened?"

"I had nobles yelling at me for advising Chrom to take less in reparations." I still stood by it, though. "It took a lot of my morning, which is why I begged the cooks to let me bake as a stress relief."

"Which are cooling and drying out while we chat." Virion smiled warmly and I smiled back. "If you would like, I can pass them out while you check in on things."

"Children get priority." I winked as I passed him my baskets. "And you may inform Ricken that he does not count as a child for this."

"I shall~" He laughed, walking off with the baskets, and I wandered through, checking that injuries were being tended to, that everything was safe, that everyone had enough water. Chrom and I tried to make sure we had time to swing by once per day, especially since most of these people were volunteers.

"Kestrel?" Lon'qu's quiet voice barely caught my attention, and I turned, surprised to see him among the group. Normally, he was patrolling the perimeter. "Might I have a word?" he asked. Though his expression was stoic, he seemed uneasy. "Please?"

"Certainly," I replied, walking to the side of the current work area. I made sure to smile. "What is it?"

"I… um…" A pale pink blush started to bloom on his face. "I… would like your permission… to court Maribelle."

"You need my permission?"

"Lissa said that if I wanted to do it properly, which I do, then yes. She is your lady in waiting, and thus, by law, she needs your permission." He looked down, and I spared a brief bit of sympathy for Lissa. I knew she still had feelings for Lon'qu. "So…"

"Well, if she's fine with it, then I certainly give permission." I laughed, feeling a little giddy when he looked up again with a slight smile. "Though, knowing her, I'm sure she sent you on a quest to court her properly."

"She thought it might also help me with my trauma."

"How is that going?"

"Better. Though, my nightmares…" He trailed off, blush and smile fading. "You… likely figured it out. It is no 'phobia'. That's why you said 'trauma' and 'scars'."

"I had a guess, based on how Basilio explained it." I shrugged, still smiling. "Though, phobias can also be born from traumas. I worked with a man once who couldn't climb anything because he watched his brother fall from a high height."

"True." He fell silent. "I've told her. But when I was younger, my best friend, a girl, died protecting me. I still…"

"It never goes away, sadly." I knew my own smile faded with pain and he nodded. He'd known I'd understand. "Still, you deserve happiness. If I deserve it, as I have so often been told, then certainly you do as well."

"…Thank you." He smiled back again. "I'm… I can almost believe that."

"So, about the same where I am." I laughed and he actually chuckled a bit. "Regardless…"

A series of yells made both of us stiffen, and we both ran before we quite realized the source of the yells. A section of a damaged wall suddenly fell, but Lon'qu and I quickly caught the worst of it before it crashed down. We were quickly joined by Sully and a couple of others I didn't recognize, and all of us held it up as still others snagged the top and pulled it back to its proper place.

"Damn, that was close," Sully laughed. She didn't wear her normal armor, and I frowned when I noticed something on her neck. "What is it, your majesty? If it's the wall…"

"Well, I am a bit worried, but I'm sure it was just something unexpected," I replied. I tapped the side of my neck. "But you… either you have bruises or hickeys right here."

"I do?" She covered it instantly, glowering. "Excuse me. I need to kill Vaike."

It took me a full second to piece together why that was, and I laughed and laughed when I did. By the time I calmed down, some of the other women invited me to help them roast sweet potatoes on the fire, and I gladly joined in, my spirits higher than ever.

Things like this reminded me that everything would be worth it. Things could heal.

* * *

I woke up slowly, perfectly warm and comfortable. In fact, I might have just gone straight back to sleep, except something was tugging and messing with my hair and I was curious. So, slowly, mumbling a bit, I opened my eyes, and smiled when I saw Chrom was awake. From there, it was easy to figure out everything. He'd woken up first, and instead of waking me up, he chose to just run his hand through my hair.

"Good morning, beautiful," he whispered when he noticed I was awake. He leaned in and kissed the tip of my nose, making me squeak. "Did I wake you?"

"We'll call it 'half'," I answered smile widening. It fell, though, when I noticed just how much light was drifting in through the windows. "Oh, we overslept!" I scrambled to get out of bed, but Chrom snagged me by the waist and dragged me back under the covers. "Hey!"

"Did you forget, Kes? We have the morning off." He pulled me closer and nuzzled my neck, peppering it with kisses. I flushed, both from embarrassment at forgetting and from the memory of last night. "Morning just for us."

"First time since our honeymoon." I was sorely tempted just to remain abed, especially as he switched to kiss my collarbone, but then I pushed him back. "However, we're awake, and I'd rather not have sex when someone can come bursting in on accident."

"Who would do that?"

"I can think of a hundred and one. Particularly since it snowed yesterday, and I'm sure some Shepherds will want to have a snowball fight again." I wrapped my arms around him and kissed the top of his head. "Come on. Up and dressed."

"Fine." He shifted up to kiss me soundly before rolling off of me and out of bed. "Something comfortable for the morning, at least."

"Sounds good." I pushed myself up slowly and stretched my arms behind my head. I glanced over to see Chrom watching me. "Clothes?"

"You have to forgive me for being distracted." He smiled teasingly, his expression full of affection. "You're incredibly beautiful."

"And you're quite handsome, love." I smiled back, fighting the urge to laugh. I had been married to him for so many months, yet I still was so giddy that I got to wake up and see him by my side. "Come on. Or we really won't get up."

"Is that so bad?"

"We only have the _morning_ off."

"Eh, true." He disappeared into the closet while I headed to the bathroom to freshen up and take a morning bath. Then it was changing into my clothes and brushing and drying my hair at my dresser. Normally by now, Maribelle or Sumia would be here to help me get ready for the day, but mornings off for me meant they could spent their mornings elsewhere. It was strange to not have them, yet at the same time, there was something comfortable at being alone.

I paused in the middle of brushing my hair and laughed, unable to help it. It felt so strange. I was 'almost' used to everything, but I couldn't quite. It was like when I first got here, met these strange people. Happiness and delight tempered slightly by fear. I was scared of losing all of this. I was scared I didn't deserve it and the gods would punish them for letting me be so happy.

"What's so amusing?" Chrom asked. He snuck up behind me and caught me in a hug, kissing my temple. The distant sound of a fire crackling hinted he'd made one to warm the room a little more. "Share the joke?"

"It's no 'joke', really," I answered, setting my brush down. I leaned back into him and gripped his arm. "I was just… thinking."

"Something amusing?"

"No, not really." I wasn't sure how to explain that I felt like all of this was going to disappear. Even though it had been over a year since we met, nearly six months since we married, I hadn't been able to tell him about being a _Vessel_ of Grima. I had tried a couple of times. I tried now. But the words stuck in my throat just as always. I trusted him. I loved him. But I couldn't admit that part of myself. "I'm really not a good wife."

"I disagree, vehemently." He turned my chair so that I was facing him and he leaned down to kiss me fervently, hands ghosting up my side to make me gasp. "If it's your past making you say that, then I will reassure you as many times as it takes." He kissed me again and I sighed into the kiss, relaxing slightly. "I love you. You and only you."

"And if it has to deal with Grima?"

"Half tempted to thank Grima, truthfully." He smiled as I gave him a disbelieving look. "Oh, relax. I'm simply grateful that his line led to you and Robin. I'm grateful you were born, and that you're both in my life."

"…You are ridiculous." I reached up to cup his face, smiling slightly. "Grima destroyed a lot of things, if you'll remember."

"Yes, yes, he's evil and bad. But, at the same time, if he hadn't existed, neither you nor Robin would be here, and I wouldn't be nearly as happy." His own smile widened. "It's quite a selfish line of thought, of course. Do you think me lesser for it?"

"I think you're insane, really. But, then again, I thought that a while ago." I leaned up to kiss him. "It also makes me think of changing my mind, and we simply lock the door so that you can prove your words. What do you think?"

His answer was to kiss me again, and we ended up having to change clothes again before attending to our duties. I was somewhere between smug and sheepish when I had to help him button up his collar; hickeys really weren't 'proper' when you were talking with nobles.

* * *

"So, Plegia has a new king," I whispered, looking through the report. Fauder, a member of the Grimleal, was elected the new king since Gangrel had no heirs. It worried me, though. The Grimleal had a policy of not directly interfering with politics. They were the true power, but they ruled from the shadows. That they would step out of those shadows… "I see."

"Do you know him, my lady?" Cordelia asked me. She rested a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "You have been pale ever since the news reached us."

"No, I don't know the name. I simply do not know why they would change their tactics. It has always been that the Grimleal _advise_ the king, not take up the crown themselves." It worried me. Especially since I knew, better than anyone, what their true goal really was. Robin and I were safe in Ylisse, but… "Is there a way we can set up more guards on the border subtly?"

"I'll ask Frederick to consider it." She squeezed my shoulder, smiling. "It'll be alright."

"I hope so." But it was hard. I just had a horrible feeling. "Maybe I'm just overreacting." I made myself smile back. "Can you deliver a note to Robin for me?"

"Certainly."

"Thank you." I jotted a very quick message to Robin, basically urging him to 'conveniently avoid' going to Plegia ever, and handed it to her. "It's not secret, and if he asks, just say his twin is being paranoid."

"I will." She winked and walked out of my study. I sighed and leaned back in my chair, shivering a bit and pulling my coat further around me. It was late winter now, and it had proven to be a rather chilly winter. I refused to keep a fire in my study, though. I preferred leaving the wood for others. I wondered if I should make one, though, to see if it would make me feel better.

Pounding footsteps made me pause, though, and I looked up just in time to see Sumia crash into my study, looking winded. "I need to hide!" she told me seriously. I just continued staring at her, a little startled by how she looked. Her hair, for instance, was all over the place. "Please?"

"Certainly," I replied, frowning now. She looked disheveled and wanted to hide. My mind connected the two to a very serious thing. "Do I need to kill someone?"

"What?" She looked confused and closed the door behind her. "No, no, no one needs to be killed. Well, maybe me."

"What happened, then?"

"Frederick and I were out on a ride, and he said something really nice, and I teased him a little, but then I accidentally mentioned I love him?" Her face went redder and redder, and I relaxed at the reassurance that she hadn't been assaulted. "So, yeah, um… hide?"

"Why?"

"B-because!"

"…Okay?" I almost asked more, but she looked so frantic, so I decided instead to simply poke fun at her a bit, in a different way. "Say, isn't this whole one of the couples got together in _Ribald Tales of the Faith War_?"

"I… oh, huh, maybe." She became thoughtful for a split-second before going back to frantic. "So, please, can I…?"

"I need these organized." I handed her a stack of papers and pointed to the small room connected to my study. I'd been told that the room would serve as a nursery, whenever I had children. For now, though, it was empty. "Please and thank you."

"Okay!" She gave me a thankful smile before dashing into the room. Only to return two seconds later to actually take the papers. "Aha…"

"Maybe work on calming down too." I grinned and she sulked, but she headed into the room, and I decided to return to my work, a bit too amused to feel uneasy now.

It felt like only a moment had passed before someone knocked on my door. I looked up as it opened to reveal a concerned, mildly frantic, Frederick. "My queen, I apologize for bother you," he murmured, bowing to me. "But have you seen Sumia?"

"You're looking for Sumia?" I asked, giving him my best 'politely stoic' expression. "Why?"

"We… were having a discussion and she ran."

"Did you say something to upset her?"

"I hope not."

"Did she say something that upset you?"

"No, she didn't." He hesitated before bowing his head. "If you do know where she is, or if you see her, can you tell her…?"

"What was this conversation anyway?" I frowned slightly, but it was mostly to keep from bursting into laughter. I also felt guilty. "Sumia is my best friend, after all. I would yield to her wishes over yours."

"Which makes sense." He still refused to look up. "We talked about how I'd tended to her armor. Then she mentioned how she felt pretty, and I said she was always beautiful, that I could not take my eyes off of her…"

"Really?" I let myself smile. "Frederick, it sounds to me like you've fallen in love with her."

"…I have." His voice was very soft, so soft that I had to bite back my giddy laughter to make sure I could still hear him. "I am captivated. So, I truly wish… to speak with her as soon as possible."

"Is that so?" Now, I just had to giggle. "Frederick, please raise your head." I stood up as he did and pointed to the side room. It took him a full second to realize what that meant, and his jaw dropped. "I love you dearly, by the way. You're both adorable."

"That… is a mean trick, my queen." Still, he was smiling. "A very mean trick."

"Let me have my fun." I laughed and headed out the door. "You two have proper confessions, and the like, okay? I'm going to find Cordelia and let her know I'm on break."

I closed the door behind me, before he could reply, and I made it only two steps before I had to stop and lean on the wall, giggling far too much to stand up. I was just… so happy for both of them. I really was.

"Kestrel?" Maribelle's worried face appeared in my vision. "Is everything alright?" she asked, frowning. "I saw Sumia running, then Frederick, and now you're out here…"

"They're sorting relationship things," I explained, still laughing. She instantly relaxed. "So, I'm on break and need to find Cordelia." I hooked my arm around hers and started down the hall. "Afterwards, we should have tea with Lissa."

"Sounds absolutely delightful, darling." Maribelle laughed as well, nodding. "I found this lovely tea that I believe you and dear Lissa will adore…"

* * *

As soon as winter faded for spring, people began preparations for a festival and not just the typical Spring Festival. Instead, the people began to celebrate the anniversary of the war's end, which of course meant that Chrom and I had to make an appearance. All the Shepherds had to, actually. To them, we were the 'heroes of the war', after all.

"Goodness, there's a lot going on," I murmured, subtly trying to shake the flower petals out of my hair. People were throwing them everywhere, and they were getting stuck in my circlet and bun. "I'm glad I decided against that elaborate headdress chain thing Maribelle originally pointed out." Surprised that there was no response, I turned to see Cordelia looking at something to the side. "Cordelia?"

"Y-yes?!" she squeaked. She looked back at me, and smiled. "Sorry, I thought I saw something."

"I see." I still frowned, noticing she was flushing. "Why do I have a… oh, hang on." I smiled politely as another person came up to greet Chrom and me. We were seated on a dais or whatever it was called, looking over everything benevolently.

Really, Chrom and I just wanted to walk through the streets, but unfortunately, we had to put on a show. Robin and Lissa, the lucky ones, got out of it.

"Now, then…" I murmured as the person left. A quick look showed that we had some time before the next 'event' for us, some sort of play being put on. "To continue. Based on how longingly you were looking-"

"I was not looking at him longingly," Cordelia instantly hissed. She scowled. "I was not."

"…I didn't say 'him'." I smiled slowly and she squirmed. "But now, I am most, most curious." I leaned to the side, wondering if I could catch sight of whoever caught Cordelia's eye. It took a moment before I noticed Libra was in the crowd, off to the side tending to someone. But every so often, he'd glance up at the dais, specifically to Cordelia. "Oh, Libra?"

"Mmm…" Her face reddened. "I'm sorry. I'm on duty, yet…"

"Oh, Cordelia." I laughed softly and turned my attention to Frederick, standing dutifully behind Chrom. "Frederick, you feel comfortable guarding both Chrom and me, right?"

"I would hesitate to agree outright, my queen, but we do have numerous guards, and both you and King Chrom are armed…" he replied slowly. Both he and Chrom frowned, though. "Why?"

"Cordelia's been overworking, as per usual, and I'd like to give her a bit of time off," I happily half-lied. I smiled brightly, even as Cordelia squeaked behind me, and while Frederick continued to frown, Chrom smiled back. "Please?"

"I… suppose that is acceptable." Frederick's eyes narrowed. "When you have to leave the dais, she should return."

"Of course." I nodded and turned back to Cordelia, who gave me the most exasperated-mortified look. "Go on. I think I see Libra in the crowd. You should get checked."

"I will get you back for this, my lady," she muttered. Still, she did smile slightly and nod. "But, I think… I will. I'll be back before long."

"Have fun," I whispered, waving and winking. She rolled her eyes and left the dais, and I shifted my chair a little closer to Chrom's, snagging his hand. "You don't mind, right?"

"I wish I could have so convenient an excuse to get out of this," Chrom instantly retorted. He leaned over to kiss my cheek, but both of us blushed at the squeals and cheers in the crowd. "I hate being on display. I really do."

"Just bear it a while longer, my king," Frederick murmured. He was back to being stoic, carefully glancing at everything around us. "After the plays, we'll have the parade."

"That's hardly better, you know."

"And after that, we're hiding you in the Barracks so that you can celebrate with the Shepherds."

"Now _that_ I do like." Chrom grinned and I giggled. "Thank you."

"I'm well used to having to come up with a reward to get you to cooperate, my king." Frederick smiled ever-so-slightly. "You have always been like that."

"Hey!"

"Speaking of rewards and cooperation…" I began, smiling slowly. Frederick's smile immediately dropped at the sight. "Well, perhaps that's not the best lead in, but how are things with you and Sumia, Frederick?"

Thus began Chrom and I relentlessly teasing the living hell out of Frederick before settling down for the long series of plays of various degrees of competence. But they certainly got points for enthusiasm, at least.

* * *

During the later weeks of spring, Miriel and Kellam surprised everyone by eloping. I found it hilarious, and I found it even _more_ hilarious at how many Shepherds were sulking over it.

"I can't believe they did that!" Lissa whined, pouting. She and I actually managed to have a break at the same time, so we were enjoying the sunshine on a balcony. "Seriously? The second marriage among our group, and they freaking eloped!"

"Miriel doesn't seem like a person who likes fuss, finding it inefficient," I quietly reminded. I still found it all far, far too amusing. "Kellam seems the same, I suppose."

"You're taking this way too calmly."

"I am not close to either of them, Lissa. In case you forgot, I've barely known you all for a year and a half now."

"…Oh, right." Lissa hummed a bit in thought, frowning slightly. "I guess I forgot. You're just so much a part of our lives now, you and Robin." Her frown deepened. "Wait, have you and Robin talked at all recently?"

"We manage here and there, but between my work and his…" I shrugged, trying not to feel too sad about it. He was the tactician of the army, and the ruler of a nearby duchy, so his days were filled with helping the army and learning how to rule a duchy. I was queen, with my days filled with organizing policies and charities, keeping the budget, ensuring that the castle ran smoothly, and arguing with nobles to get policies through. "We write daily."

"That still sucks." She sighed, kicking her feet back and forth. "I get now why Chrom thought Emm hated him for a time. I never knew Emm before she became Exalt. She already _was_ the Exalt before I was born. It was all I knew." She looked down briefly before looking up at the clouds. "I'm still used to being able to just burst into Chrom's office and drag him out for fun. Pull pranks on him. See him whenever I want. Now, though, I basically have to make an appointment."

"If you're lonely, you should tell him."

"I am lonely, but I don't think there's anything that he can do. He barely takes breaks as is." She smiled at me. "The only time he gets a break is when he's with you, and I don't want to interfere with _that_." She made a face. "What if I walk in while you two are working on giving me a niece or nephew?"

"We lock the door." I grinned wickedly as she went bright red. "Sorry, I had to tease just a little."

"I'm sure." She grumbled something else, but laughter wafted up then. "Oh, that sounds like Maribelle." She popped out of her chair and leaned over the railing, frowning slightly. "Looks like she's walking with Lon'qu."

"Is she?" I walked over to the railing as well, and smiled when I saw she was right. I smiled more when I saw Lon'qu, shakily and bright red, kiss Maribelle's hand. Maribelle's resulting smile was brighter than the sun. "Looks like they're doing well."

"They are." Lissa's expression was half-smiles, half-tears. "Ah… I'm so stupid…"

"No, you're not." I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. "You fell in love with a good man. You stayed back when you saw he loved someone else. That's very mature, Lissa, though I'm sure it hurts." I almost wished I could sympathize, but I couldn't. Chrom was the only one I'd ever fallen in love with, and by some miracle, he returned those feelings. "And you'll fall in love again. Sumia and Cordelia did."

"Oh, right, Cordelia and Libra are dating now." Lissa laughed. It wobbled from unshed tears, but it was also very bright and cheerful. "I'm glad. Libra smiles so much now. Cordelia seems just as happy."

"She is." Cordelia's default was a smile nowadays. I was happy for her. "It'll be fine. This pain will pass."

"…Yeah." She nodded and leaned against me. "Though, I'm still peeved about Miriel and Kellam eloping."

"You should tell them, next time you see them."

"I will."

* * *

Early summer should've been a happy time. Chrom and I were married during the early summer. We should've been celebrating. But both of us, looking at finances and the like, decided against having our own celebration for it, instead planning on combining it with the next known festival, the harvest festival in the autumn. Most around us frowned, but we insisted. It didn't feel right, and in the middle of making such decisions, we got a message from Flavia. Ferox was dealing with a rebellion, and they urged us to watch our borders.

"So, they specifically requested us to not get involved?" I asked, frowning slightly. Ferox was known for its pride in warfare, but this seemed… "There's more to this request than simply 'culture', isn't there?"

"There is," Olivia confirmed. She had returned to Ferox briefly for a couple of shows, and had returned with her messages, as well as a personal request from Basilio: let Olivia stay here. "The rebels are gathering people because they dislike that so many died for a 'foreign war'."

"Even though death in battle is regarded so highly." I leaned back in my chair, still frowning. I had been in my study, with Cordelia standing guard behind me, when Olivia had come in with her news. "Is it because it's been so long since Ferox went to a 'proper' war?"

"Basilio thinks so, yes." Olivia fidgeted a bit, and I felt bad. It did very much look like I was interrogating her, but I had no other chairs to offer. I should've just stood, but I had expected this to be a simple greeting, and now, it felt awkward to stand. "Most of the rebels are young. The older ones are rolling their eyes."

"I see." I nodded, resisting the urge to sigh. I hated that Ferox was suffering for helping us. "You also mentioned signs of Risen picking up again?"

"Yes, in the more isolated sections." Olivia clasped her hands in front of her. "It could be simply some from the original batches that weren't found. I would've thought the cold…"

"The cold should've frozen them. They're corpses." At the same time, though, perhaps the dark magic involved made them immune to that. "It's still troubling. That's the first sign of Risen since…" There had been no reports of Risen since Emmeryn's death. To suddenly have them again didn't bode well. "I fear we'll all be dragged to war again before long, if this is a new bunch." And if they were new, then Grimleal were involved. I knew how manipulative they were. Was this sudden rebellion their fault? Or was I just jumping at shadows?

"I'm sorry to bring you such news." Olivia smiled tentatively. "You should be celebrating."

"Chrom and I are waiting. It's fine." I made myself smile at her and pushed aside the troubling thoughts. My father was dead. Regardless of everything else, the Grimleal would have to be weakened because of that. I hoped. "Now, then, who is your next destination? Robin?"

"P-pardon?" Her face immediately went pink at Robin's name. "I… um…"

"That is quite the blush." I couldn't help but laugh and she looked away, blush deepening. "So, I suspected, but you're _interested_ in my twin, aren't you?"

"I… um… er…"

"I'll warn you that he is horribly oblivious. It makes sense, but you might need to make the first move." I laughed again when her blush darkened further. "Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing for now. I do look forward to talking more with you though, Olivia." I turned to Cordelia, who barely hid her own snickers. "Can you escort her?"

"Certainly," Cordelia agreed. Olivia gave both of us a confused look, even as Cordelia led her out. "I'll be back momentarily."

"Tell Robin that I'm free tomorrow for lunch," I called after them. Cordelia waved to show she'd heard, and I settled back in my chair, giggling. Perhaps that had been quite mean, especially since Olivia and I really weren't close. Honestly, all I really knew about her was that she was shy, a talented dancer, a brilliant singer, a skilled cook, and Basilio's all-but-adopted daughter. And my brother's crush. For that reason alone, I really should get to know her better.

Still giggling, I returned to my work, balancing the budget among other things. As I worked, though, I noticed some movement by the door and looked up, curious. I frowned when I noticed it was two armed people, their clothing and weapons implying quite a bit of money. The poor grips they held the weapons, though, implied they weren't mercenaries.

"Well, well, do we have more traitor nobles?" I asked softly, watching them closely. Both simply glared in response. "Mmm, yes, now I think I remember your faces. You're among the ones that betrayed Emmeryn, and now you're… what? Here to kill me? Do you think I am the reason for your fall? I assure you; I had nothing to do with your sentencing."

They didn't answer. They simply advanced, doing their best to appear menacing. I gave them my drollest look in response and carefully reached into my drawer. Neither held themselves properly for a fight, and they didn't move as one unit. They walked stiffly, clearly not even trying to work together. In fact, one moved ahead.

"It really does surprise me the extent to which you people will try to deny your own fault," I continued anyway, still keeping perfectly calm. I felt for the cool hilt hiding in the drawer and waited for the first to come just a bit closer. "Killing me won't get your titles back, you know. This is a really poor plan."

The first one came within range. They tried to swing at me. But I had the dagger out before they did, batted their arm to the side, and slammed the dagger into their wrist, hard enough to actually pin it to the desk. Blood spilled out from around the injury, pooling under their arm.

"What the…?!" the second one yelped, taking a step back. Their companion was already sobbing, breath already thin and hissy from pain. "You… you have a…"

"Cordelia gave me the most lovely dagger for my anniversary," I informed them lightly. Indeed, she'd given it to me specifically because I had a habit of sending her off with messages and daggers were easier to keep near than a sword. "I love it so much I make sure to keep it on hand at all times." I leaned forward slightly, watching them. "So, what are you going to do?"

"P-pardon?"

"You may continue to advance with that sword, but in close quarters, a sword isn't going to be as useful as a dagger." I tapped the hilt of mine pointedly before shifting my grip to make it easier to rip it out. "So, I am afraid that if you strike, I will have to use this one. But there are a lot of veins and arteries in the wrist. Important ones. Your comrade will bleed out very quickly as soon as I pull this out." I smiled slowly at them, perfectly poised. "I can also guarantee you that I have more fighting experience than you, and with that sword and the holes in your guard, I will kill you. So, your choice. Do you both live, or do you both die?"

"You…" Their voice shook. "Who do you think you are?"

"I am the Queen of Ylisse, and I suffer no one, least of all treacherous fools who think they can kill me so easily." My smile widened. "So, what's your choice?"

They dropped their blade and fell to their knees. I retrieve the sword and kept it by my side while I worked, only stopping with Cordelia walked in and helped me deal with them. When I told Chrom about it later, he laughed and laughed, calling me his 'Warrior Queen'. I blamed him when the people started calling me the same just a few days later.

* * *

A month or so after the rather pathetic assassination attempt, Chrom decided to visit Southtown, the town where Robin and I first met him, in response to hearing about some flooding damage. I went with him, as did Robin and all of the Shepherds. It was more than a relief, traveling about as we did. We even camped, like we used to.

When we prepared to leave Southtown, though, Anna insisted that we head further south. Confused, we did so, expecting trouble. Instead, though, we found ourselves quickly whisked onto a boat and sailing to a nearby island. It was only when we landed that we learned just what Anna had done: arranged us a day trip to the beach.

"I'm still so very confused by all of this," I muttered, walking the beach with Robin. It seemed Anna had an identical sister, also named Anna, who was setting up a resort on the island here, and we were the 'test subjects' for it. "I hope nothing happens while we're away."

"Same here," Robin sighed. Sounds of laughter from the nearby Shepherds, however, made us both smile. "They're having fun."

"That they are." I waved as I noticed a couple look our way. "Do you want to splash about the waves?"

"I'm pretty content with what we're doing, truthfully." He smiled brightly and playfully kicked some of the water by our feet. "Besides, I am in no hurry to wear those bathing suit things."

"Same, truthfully." I laughed, unable to help it. I didn't see the point of having clothes _specifically_ for swimming. "I much prefer this sundress I'm wearing."

"It suits you." He grinned and I grinned back. He was dressed just as casually as I was. "Ah, I love wearing simple clothes again. Can I give the duchy title back?"

"You'll need to designate an heir. Otherwise, Chrom is right back to where he was."

"True." Robin groaned, shaking his head. "I just dislike it. We're both so busy nowadays."

"The stories never talk about the work peace brings." Still, I smiled. "You know; we've been with them for over a year."

"We have."

"This is the longest you and I have ever stayed in one place since Mom died." I skipped to the side a bit so that I could walk through the water more. It was cold around me. "I must admit; I'm afraid for them."

"Sister…" Robin smiled, and snagged me in a hug, resting his cheek against my head. "Relax. Even if someone comes to try and take this happiness from us, we'll simply fight to keep it. As I told you, we deserve happiness. You deserve happiness."

"I suppose." I stopped and turned around, watching the Shepherds from a distance. It felt both 'right' and 'wrong' to be so far away. "They're the first people to protect us and not die, Robin."

"We're strong together, Kestrel." He grinned. "Have a bit of faith."

"Maybe." I smiled teasingly. "But seriously, you say the cheesiest things with such a straight face. Olivia's here. Go say cheesy things to her."

"H-hey!" His face immediately went pink, and it went pinker when I nudged him to where she was sitting under a beach umbrella. "Whoa, hang on! I get to talk to you for the first time in forever!"

"You and I have been hanging out all day." I pointed to the horizon for emphasis. The sun was setting. "Honestly, Robin, I'm planning on heading to bed. I was up early talking with people and being the visible queen."

"True." He still sulked, though. "I love you, sister."

"Love you too. So…" This time, I just shoved him towards Olivia. "Go woo your pink princess."

"That's… that doesn't even…!" His face went redder and redder, and I laughed and laughed. "Ugh, you're horrible."

"I remember you attempting to tease me about Chrom."

"Ugh…!" He scowled, and I kept on laughing. "Fine, fine. Sweet dreams."

"You too." Still laughing, I skipped down the beach, heading back towards the 'resort' part of the place. As I did, I glanced around, mostly just checking that everyone was smiling. I paused when I noticed a particularly odd pairing, Gaius and Tharja, who sat very close to one another. Tharja was even blushing, which surprised me. I then shrugged and continued on my way, deciding it was only my business if someone made it my business. It wasn't like the rest of us were all pairing off or anything.

"Oh, where are you going?" Anna suddenly snagged me by the arm and started tugging me. "This way, this way!" she insisted. I frowned as we passed by the rooms and onto another path entirely. "And over here, and a turn here, and… ta-da~!" We took a sudden sharp turn, and she gestured grandly at a little house, away from the others. "This is where you're staying, Queen Kestrel."

"I am?" I asked, confused. I'd assumed I'd be with the others. "Why?"

"You may think of it as, well, an anniversary present. Since you and Chrom haven't really celebrated yet." She winked and pushed me inside. "I already cleared this with Frederick and Cordelia. You two will have the place to yourself!"

"…Suddenly, this trip makes so much sense." I laughed, unable to help it. "Conspirators."

"It works out because I didn't tell a single lie." She grinned, skipping off. "You go settle in. I'll bring your husband to you before long."

I waved her goodbye, and then actually looked about the little house. It had only one bedroom, as well as a kitchen and a bathroom, but it was decorated with brightly colored curtains, soft colored flowers, and beautifully polished shells. The bed itself was soft and simple, the only decoration a beautiful woven blanket. It was beautiful, really. The whole room was. It was nice and simple, yet gorgeous. It reminded me of a 'more put together' version of the house Mom, Robin, and I had lived in at Ferox.

"You think we can convince Anna to sell us some of the things in here?" Chrom's voice was soft in my ear and I glanced back to see him leaning against me, smiling softly. "Maybe the blanket, at least," he murmured, hugging me. He was still wet from the sea, and a little chilled. "Your eyes lit up at it."

"Reminds me of my mom," I whispered. I smiled sadly at him. "I'm still quite the simple girl at heart."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I love you. You give me all the happiness in the world." I sighed as he still looked sadly. "Oh, for goodness sake…" I twisted and pinned him under me, grinning. "I suppose I can show you."

"…Yeah, sure?" He laughed. "I'm afraid that you've already made my brain stop."

"Good." I leaned down to kiss him. "I love you."

"I love you too, Kes."

* * *

In the first weeks of autumn, Flavia got word to us that she and Basilio won the 'rebellion', but that stragglers might've made it to the border. A few days later, we heard of raids on said border, and we immediately marched for villages. Just in time, as they set one of the villages on fire.

"This way, this way!" I yelled, helping some children through the flames. Flavia and Basilio were fighting off the rebels, so we Shepherds were dealing with evacuating people and trying to deal with the fire. "And out we go!" I helped some children jump out of a broken window before following them quickly. A good thing, considering that the building began collapsing on itself shortly after. "Who, that was…" I coughed and stumbled a bit, feeling lightheaded. "Ah…"

"There you are!" Sumia caught me, helping me over to the side. "Oh, I knew I should've kept a better eye on you," she scolded, passing me some water. I tried to take it, but found myself strangely tired. "You've some burns… I should get you to a healer."

"Sorry, the plan hadn't been for that to be so close," I murmured, shaking my head. Unfortunately, it only made me more lightheaded. "A child ran up the stairs, and then I found more."

"You okay?" She peered at me worriedly. "Come on. You've been running about a lot."

"I must be out of shape if this is bothering me." I rubbed my temple. "Ugh…"

"Come on." Sumia wrapped an arm around me and helped me wobble over to where everyone was gathering. "I think we're almost good."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." She waved to someone, but I stumbled again, feeling even more lightheaded. "Kestrel? Kestrel!"

I felt myself falling. I saw nothing but blackness for… well, it felt like a split-second to me. Based on how I opened my eyes to a ceiling and lying on a bed, though, I figured it was much longer.

"I fainted?" I groaned, pushing myself up. My vision blurred and I leaned forward. "Seriously? I _fainted_?"

"Ah, you're awake." A cool hand rested against my cheek and turned my face up. "How do you feel?" Libra asked, smiling gently. "Dizzy still?"

"A bit." I sighed, straightening. "I also feel pathetic. Really pathetic. Please at least tell me that I fainted while things were quiet?"

"You did. You mostly missed Flavia and Basilio tell us that they've won." Libra laughed softly and sat in a chair next to me. "You also missed the utter panic of everyone."

"Ugh…" I glowered at the blankets before closing my eyes again. "I'm nauseous. Did I breath too much smoke?"

"No, thankfully. That might've been bad for the baby."

"Yeah, I suppose… huh?" I froze and I gave him a weird look. Libra just smiled serenely. "Bad for the… what?"

"You should also be fair to your body. Lightheadedness and fatigue are common during the first months of pregnancy." He still continued to smile. "Your body is changing to accommodate the baby, after all."

"I… that…" I continued staring. It didn't quite connect. "I'm…"

"Congratulations, Queen Kestrel." His smile warmed. "You're with child. My best guess is that you're a month or two in."

"Oh." I was… I was what? Pregnant? Child? The sentence made sense, yet… "That's… um…" Tears suddenly filled my eyes, but I found myself smiling. "Ah."

"You're likely going to be very emotional as well." He patted my shoulder reassuringly and stood up. "Would you like me to inform King Chrom of the good news, or yourself?"

"You'd better." I coughed a bit and rubbed roughly at my eyes. "I'm… ah… still…"

"Need to rest. Healer's orders." He gave me another smile before leaving the room, closing the door behind him quietly.

Within a couple of minutes, though, the door burst open, Chrom stumbling inside. He stared at me for a moment before closing the distance between us, kissing me soundly and wrapping me up in a hug. "I love you," he whispered, kissing me all over my face. I couldn't help but laugh at the ticklish feeling. "I love you."

"I love you too, Chrom," I replied, placing my hands on his face so that I could kiss him back. "I love you too."

* * *

 _Notes on Anna:_

 _Class – Trickster; Reclass – Archer, Mage_

 _A quickminded merchant with a very large family of identical sisters who all share the same name. There must be some sort of conspiracy._

 _Fights more for self-defense than anything, her true skills is being able to get a bargain. Though she is quite quick._

 _Apparently well traveled, talking of different continents and a lover named 'Jake'._

* * *

Author's note: So, each scene represents different parts of a season, with the first one being late summer (a couple months after Kestrel's marriage) and ending with early autumn. Lucina's birthday is April 20th, so counting backwards, that implies she was conceived somewhere around late summer, early autumn. The second late-summer scene is vaguely based off the Summer Scramble DLC. Also have some pairings?

There is no Feroxi revolt in game, but there is dummy data mentioning 'Feroxi rebels', suggesting that at some point in development, there were plans for the Shepherds to get involved in a Feroxi Civil War. I'm pushing it off-screen, mostly to add to Flavia's eventual request for aid against Walhart.

'Fauder' is Validar's Japanese name. Since Kestrel would recognize her father's name, I switched it up.

Next Chapter – Interlude, Mother (last interlude of the two year time skip)


	26. Interlude - Mother

Interlude – Mother

* * *

 _I'm going to be a mother. The words are so strange, and I'm torn. On the one hand, I'm ecstatic. Just some bubbly happiness I can't explain, along with being happy that all my loved ones are also happy. Seriously, they're all smiling and happy, even if all of them have become mother hens._

 _At the same time, I'm terrified. I'm a Vessel. Will my child be a Vessel too? Will there be some sort of taint? Will they carry the brand? I'm scared. I'm so, so scared…_

* * *

Libra became my 'official' healer fairly quickly after we returned to Ylisstol and we announced my pregnancy to the delighted populace. There were a couple of reasons for it. He was the oldest and most experienced of the three healers I knew, and he was also quiet and calm. Lissa giggled far too much, though I did love her cheer, while Maribelle would get sidetracked by fussing over everything the baby would need.

The third reasons was, of course, so that I could watch him casually flirt with Cordelia and then pretend to be confused when she started blushing and stammering. It was _hilarious_ to watch.

"You two are so adorable," I laughed, once I was certain Cordelia had left. She'd been red to the roots of her hair and I'd shown a little mercy by asking her to let Robin know I probably wouldn't make it to our lunch. "I'm so happy for you two."

"It is a strange feeling, having such happiness," Libra murmured. He washed his hands in the corner, smiling. "But you know that feeling too."

"Yes, I do." To be so happy that you had no idea what to do… I felt it every day. "She's also just fun to tease, isn't it?"

"Extremely." He dried his hands, turning to face me. "So, how are you feeling?"

"Tired, nauseous, and I feel like my pulse is higher than a pegasus in flight."

"I see." He walked over and began carefully checking me over through staff and prodding. I had to fight to keep from squirming in my chair, and instead, tried to focus on the room. Unfortunately, it was just a plain room by the infirmary with no ornamentation. "You're still in very good health, so I believe it is simply your body still adapting to carry the baby."

"This is going to be a very uncomfortable few months, isn't it?"

"Very." He smiled kindly. "But we'll do what we can for you, okay?"

"Ugh." I made a face, and he laughed. "So, anyway, what do I need to…?" A knock on the door startled me, and I frowned. "Come in?"

"Sorry to bother?" Robin opened the door, smiling slightly. "I actually got done early, so…" he began, shrugging. "I can come back?"

"No, no, we just finished the checkup," Libra reassured with a kind, calm smile. "I was just about to leave."

"Oh, okay." Robin grinned. "Thanks, Libra. I think Cordelia was going to get something to eat."

"More like she was going to work. I'll get her." Libra shook his head, noticeably exasperated, but still, his smile was fond. "Until later."

"Bye!" Robin stepped out of Libra's way and closed the door behind him. "Now, I know you said you couldn't make lunch, but there's something I need to tell you!"

"Really?" I asked, curious. I thought about standing, but decided to just remain seated in the chair. It was by the window, after all, and had a pretty view of the courtyard. "What is it?"

"Well…" He fidgeted a little, blushing. "I… confessed to Oliva!" he blurted. He grinned as I stared. "And she said she felt the same! So, we're… what's the word? Dating? Courting?"

"That's wonderful, Robin!" I laughed, absolutely delighted by the news. "And here I thought you'd have cold feet forever!"

"I'm going to be an uncle. Nothing more terrifying than that. Save maybe becoming a father. Chrom's been fretting a lot." He flashed a grin, but let it fall for a serious look. "Happy news aside, I've also been worried. I don't think most have noticed, but I know something is wrong."

"Seriously? You don't have memories. How can you still read me well?"

"It's a skill I worked very hard to recover." He smirked and I rolled my eyes. "So?"

"I'm not going to be able to get out of this, am I?" I sighed when he shook his head. "I…" I hesitated a bit. It was hard to say. "…I'm scared."

"You'll be fine."

"Oh, I know that. I'm nothing if not durable, brother." I looked down at my still flat belly. "But I can't help but wonder if our lineage…"

"Oh, the Grima thing." He sounded so nonchalant, and I was tempted to smack him for it, but his smile was kind when I actually looked up. "I'm sure it'll be fine."

"And the Grimleal?"

"Your child will be of Grima and Naga both, shadow and light." He stood up and hugged me. "Heir to a country, beloved by many. I dare anyone try to harm them. It'll be fine. They'll be fine."

"…I hope so." I leaned into him and closed my eyes. It wasn't quite what I was worried about, but it was close enough. I could explain the real reason. Even now, 'we are Vessels of Grima' was a sentence that choked me whenever I tried to say them. "So, tell me more about how you confessed?"

"Sure."

* * *

It should have been simple. I'd just been walking to my study and had lifted my arms to stretch. But a sharp pang in my stomach resulted, and I got nervous. Perhaps I'd been overreacting, but I knew, from gossip, that miscarriages were most common during the first trimester. I was only three months in, and if I'd done something…

Libra taking it just as seriously soothed my nerves somewhat, but I didn't relax until I saw him smile. "I can find nothing wrong," he reassured me, resting a hand on my back. I breathed a sigh of relief. "I'd like you to stay near the infirmary today, though, just in case. _If_ something happens, I can react far more quickly."

"Thank you," I murmured. I felt bad, taking up so much of his time. "In retrospect, I could have just moved wrong while stretching, or stretched more than I thought."

"Very true, and I think that's just what happened. But, again, you'll stay in a nearby room."

"Just in case."

"Libra, I heard Kestrel was in here!" Lissa swung into the infirmary then, bouncing on her toes. I'd sent Cordelia to let Lissa know I wouldn't make it to tea today. "Everything okay?" she asked, frowning slightly. "Looks like it?"

"A false alarm, we hope, but she'll rest for the day," Libra replied. He helped me stand up from my chair. "Can you assist with that?"

"I've got just the room." Lissa grinned and took my hand. "And a swing over here~!" She tugged me to a room only two doors down and ushered me inside. "You sit. I'll get the place clean and cheerful."

"Sorry about this," I told her, carefully sitting down in the lone chair. The only other place was the bed without sheets or a blanket. I almost laughed at how that lack bothered me; I used to just be grateful for a mattress. "Today is your day off."

"I see no problem with using it to help my sister-in-law!" she reassured, grinning. She darted out of the room briefly and returned with sheets, blankets, pillows, and cleaning rags. "Besides, all I really wanted to do was bug you about names for the baby."

"I haven't thought of names yet." I shrugged, watching her messily try to prepare the bed. My fingers twitched to fix it, but she looked so determined that I couldn't help but let her keep trying. "I just want them born without complications."

"Everything will be okay!" Lissa grinned at me before returning to her work. "So, names? Any ideas? You should come up with a whole bunch."

"Well…"

"My pardon." Libra poked his head in, carrying a piece of paper. I recognized it as where he kept track of my checkups. "I'd like to confirm something," he explained. "May I?"

"Of course," I reassured. It saved me from having to think of names. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing wrong, but something I need to confirm." He brought his staff over and carefully did another check up, frequently looking back at the paper. After a while, though, he smiled. "I'd like to keep an eye on it, but my queen…" His smile warmed. "I think you're carrying twins."

Lissa's squeal of delight nearly broke the damn window, but I couldn't help but laugh and laugh at the fact that I, a twin, was apparently going to give birth to more twins. What were the freaking odds?

* * *

"I'm not sure exchanging nausea for random bits of bleeding is a fair trade," I complained, spitting out a little more blood. "Ugh…"

"Libra said it was normal," Sumia helpfully reminded me. She pulled a coat around me and ushered me to a small table. "And the servants brought you a tea that should help."

"Ugh…" I half-glowered at the ground, feeling annoyed. "I'm just pregnant. I've endured countless injuries. Why is this enough to knock me down?"

"Because you're creating a life, remember?" Sumia giggled and adjusted my coat. "Think of it as being in battle constantly."

"Well, that'll explain why I'm so short of breath all the time." I growled a couple of curses under my breath, annoyed. Lissa even had to take over some of my work on orphanages and free lessons (with meals) for the populace. "This is going to get so much worse, isn't it?"

"Especially since you're carrying twins!" Sumia giggled and I just facepalmed. I had so much respect for my own mother at the moment. She'd dealt with the same while being surrounded by Grimleal. Though, she might've been just as spoiled. "Relax. It's okay."

"But you were supposed to be out on a date with Frederick today." She _and_ Maribelle had the day off because I was supposed to be with Lissa all day today, and Maribelle had left late last night to spend the day with her father, introducing him to Lon'qu and the like. So, when I'd suddenly been unable to attend, Sumia had been stuck staying with me. Because Cordelia also had the day off, and was out with Libra.

"Frederick and I can go on a date another time." She smiled sweetly, but somehow, it only made me feel worse. "We were just going to have a picnic."

"Still, though…" Because Sumia was constantly with me, and because Frederick was constantly with Chrom, it took a lot of juggling to secure them a simultaneous day off. I hated it.

"Relax, Kestrel. Frederick and I are both glad to serve, and you don't really want to be alone right now, right?" She grinned and I reluctantly nodded. It was almost amusing how much I hated being alone, but then again, even at the worst, I'd had Robin with me. "See? Besides, the weather looks like it's turning bad anyway, so we'll just read. There's a new Ribald tale out, you know."

"I find it so funny that those books skip the pregnancy part of things." I grinned and finally reached for my tea. I paused, though, as my instincts flared. Something about this tea… it smelled off. It looked off. I couldn't even explain why. It was just… "Sumia?"

"Yes?"

"What tea is this?"

"It was made by the cooks, to help you?" Sumia frowned when she noticed how stiff I was. "We've the pot right here. You want me to see what's in it?"

"…Yeah." I leaned back in my chair, staring at the tea. "Something feels off."

"I'll be right back. Don't touch it." Sumia disappeared down the hall, tripping only once that I saw, eyes blazing with determination. I waited stiffly, focusing on keeping my breathing as even as possible. I prayed that I was just paranoid, but I couldn't take that risk. I really couldn't take the risk.

Thankfully, Sumia returned fairly quickly, Tharja and Gaius in tow. Both Tharja and Gaius looked a little disheveled, with the hickeys on Gaius's neck hinting that they'd been in the middle of making out, but both didn't seem bothered by the interruption. Gaius even gave me a reassuring pat on the back as Tharja carefully shifted through the herbs in the pot and ran magic over the cup. It turned out that I'd need that reassurance, and that my instincts were more than correct.

"Herbs that induce miscarriage?" I whispered, feeling horrifically cold. If I hadn't already been sitting, I would've buckled. As it was, Gaius gripped my shoulder and Sumia brushed my hair back. "Really?"

"Quite a few, truthfully," Tharja confirmed, frowning over the herbs. "Granted, they're not all that effective on their own like this anyway, only about a fifty percent chance, and that percentage decreases significantly once you're out of the first trimester."

"That's…"

"Some of these, though, are poisonous. Not in this dose, but it could mess you up for a while." She looked at me, expression somewhere between blank indifference and quiet sympathy. "It's certainly a message, if nothing else."

"Someone isn't happy about the birth of royal heirs," Gaius murmured. He tightened his grip on my shoulder, and smiled when I looked up at him. "However, I'm sure they were careless. I'll track down who arranged this. Some of these herbs have to be expensive, right?"

"To get them in Ylisse, certainly," Tharja agreed. She crossed her arms, eyes narrowed. "A sloppy effort, but one nonetheless."

"That leaves tracks. May take a few months, depending, but I can track them. And I will. I promise." His smile faded. "But until then, you be very careful about what you eat and drink. No offense to your cooks, but have someone watch them."

"I can place a few curses, if need be." Tharja crossed her arms and smiled slowly, eyes glinting in clear threat. "I detest such sloppiness, and I detest such petty targeting."

"It'll be a busy few weeks, Sunshine." Gaius grinned back. I decided I'd at least try to be reassured. "We'll take these and get started. Servant brought it?"

"Yes, a girl with blonde hair and blue eyes, and a scar on her neck," Sumia explained. She shifted to half-hugging me. I was still in a little bit of shock. "That's all I can remember, sadly. I only remember the scar because I wondered if she got it during the attack."

"It's enough to get started, Stumbles," Gaius reminded. He gave me another pat on the shoulder and removed the still-full teacup from the table. "Shall we, Sunshine?" The two left and Sumia shifted to hugging me outright. I clung a little to her, glad that I'd listened to my instincts and a little bitter that someone had wanted to hurt me that much.

It made sense. Not even the gods liked me, after all.

* * *

"My bras no longer fit," I grumbled, wincing. I'd been told that my breasts would swell up thanks to the pregnancy, but it was one thing to hear it, and it was another to realize there was no way I was stuffing my boobs into my normal bras, and not just because of the size. "I hurt…"

"Aren't you staying in bed today anyway?" Chrom asked. He hugged me from behind and kissed my temple. "You could barely get up today."

"This being too short of breath to do anything thing is really getting old." I sighed and leaned into him, sulking. "Seriously."

"You're carrying two babies, remember? That's a lot of work." He kissed my cheek and helped me back into my nightgown and under the covers. "You should rest."

"But I feel useless…"

"You're caring for our unborn children. That's far from useless." He sat on the bed and brushed the hair out of my face. "You're just frustrated."

"I am. Very." I hated being in pain. I hated feeling swollen. I hated feeling like I couldn't do anything without gasping for air. "This just sucks."

"I'm sorry." He kissed my forehead, my cheek, and my neck. I squirmed at the ticklish feeling, gripping his sleeve. "I'd take it away if I could."

"I'm just being whiny." I disliked all of this, really. Why couldn't that old story about 'the bird brought the baby to waiting parents' have been true? That would've been far too easy. "I'm sorry."

"Kestrel, you get to complain as much as you want." He smiled at me and ran his hand through my hair. "But you should really rest today."

"I've done nothing _but_ rest." But he was also right. If I could barely get out of bed today, then I really couldn't do much else. "You have work."

"I do." He made a face and I laughed, unable to help it. "I'd rather be here reassuring you."

"You are the Exalt, and I will be most vexed if you put off work for me."

"I know." He sighed and got off the bed. I fixed his shirt and he smiled. "I'll try to swing by during lunch."

"You'll eat first and then if you have time. I don't want you cutting things short for me."

"I know; I know." He caught my hands and kissed them. "I'll be off."

"Have a good day." I smiled at him as he left and rested a hand on my stomach. As soon as I did, though, I felt a small 'fluttering' movement and gasped without thinking.

"What's wrong?" Chrom was instantly at my side, reassuring hands on my shoulder. "Do I need to get Libra or-?"

"Chrom." I took one of his hands and placed it on my stomach. A couple seconds later, his eyes widened. He'd felt that 'flutter' too. "Hee… they're moving about. That's going to keep me up, huh?"

"…I love you." He kissed me sweetly, and when he pulled away, his smile was bright and warm. "I love you very, very much."

"Remember that in later months, okay?" I couldn't help but tease, and it got me another kiss. "Get Cordelia in here for me, will you?"

"Okay." He left then with a definitely skip to his step. I laughed and laughed, amused.

Maybe this would all be worth it after all.

* * *

Strangely, in my sixth month, I no longer got quite as short of breath. I wasn't sure why that was, but Libra confirmed that my health was still 'perfect for a pregnant woman', so I went out to the market for the first time since I learned of my pregnancy.

"They're so loud," I murmured, flushing from all the cheers. Practically everyone had a bright smile for me. "I'm getting overwhelmed."

"Do you need to sit down, darling?" Maribelle asked. She had a firm hold of my arm, mostly to make sure the crowd didn't steal me away. Today, I insisted Sumia finally go on that date with Frederick, so it was just her and Cordelia with me. "There's a lovely café not far from here."

"I fear if I sit down, then I won't get up." I made a face and she laughed. "But if we could get a little more space?"

"Cordelia?"

"I'm on it," Cordelia reassured. She began gently pushing people back, citing that I was finding it hard to breath. The children looked disappointed, and the man looked confused, but the women in the crowd… their eyes were filled with understanding sympathy. I smiled at them, and quite a few actually winked back. "Better?"

"Much," I murmured, already feeling a little less like I was about to drown. I glanced around the crowd again and smiled, noticing something. "Is Lon'qu following us?"

"He is?" Maribelle asked. She frowned and stood on her tiptoes, but smiled brightly suddenly. "He is! Silly man. He mentioned he was worried. Gaius hasn't found who tried to give you those herbs yet, and this is the first time you've been out."

"He can come join us, you know."

"He's bad with crowds." She giggled, hand coming up to muffle it. A ring I hadn't noticed before sparkled on it. "Very bad."

"…Why did I not see this ring before?" I pointed at it, frowning slightly. "You're engaged?"

"No, not yet. It's…" She giggled again, a pretty blush spreading across her face. "Think of it like a promise? He wants to move past his trauma a bit more before officially asking. Having a wedding as he is now… well, I can't elope. My father would cry."

"I see." I grinned and turned my attention to Cordelia, who eyed the ring with sparkling eyes. "And what of you, dear Cordelia?"

"Huh?" Cordelia yelped. She went bright red, and Maribelle and I laughed. "W-well, Libra and I have talked, a little, but…"

There was a flash of movement behind us. Cordelia reacted instantly, lunging to block. Shrieks echoed through the crowd, even more when Lon'qu burst out to assist Cordelia. Maribelle wrapped herself around me protectively as someone with a blade darted close. But Cordelia skewered them through the head before they could get too close, and Lon'qu literally disarmed another two.

The next couple of hours were a bit of a blur, mostly because so much happened at once, and I felt a little lightheaded. I was escorted back to the castle, to Libra for a checkup. Robin and Chrom both fussed. Actually most of the Shepherds did. Gaius took charge of the surviving attackers. It wasn't until Tharja peeked in on me that I found everything kick back in, and that was mostly because of what she said.

"You're going to use curses on them?" I asked, startled. And worried, because I knew what curses could do. I've seen them. Hell, I've _used_ them. Rarely. I hated my magic. "That's…"

"Relax," she reassured. She even came over to gently touch my cheek, more gently than I would've expected. "I just know a curse that makes it so that they cannot lie. It'll speed things up."

"…Okay." I smiled slightly. I knew of that one. Mom had used it, once. "Sorry…"

"You're of Plegia. You know how dark these curses can go. It's fine." She smiled back and she actually had a pretty smile herself. "For now, rest. Let Gaius and I handle the dirty work."

"Right…" I glanced around, noticing that I was in my room, sitting in front of the fireplace. "Ah, this is a mess."

"You're a queen. People are always going to be threatened by you." She shrugged and her smile both warmed and grew a little wicked-vicious. "I'd say let them. You're no sheep to be shepherded about like your people. You're a Shepherd. Lead the flock. Or burn and eat them. I don't care."

"Tharja!" I laughed, unable to help it. "Ah, maybe I'll feel better when I'm through this pregnancy."

"Probably. My own mother mentioned that she was terribly emotional when pregnant with me." Tharja shrugged again. "Regardless, I thought you might sense dark magic and thought to warn you."

"Thank you." I smiled up at her. "Really, thank you. And pass my thanks to Gaius as well."

"Of course." Tharja left them, but I wasn't alone for long.

Olivia, actually tentatively poked her head in. "Hello," she murmured, smiling shyly. "Do you mind?"

"No, come in," I urged, waving her over. She closed the door behind her, and quickly sat down beside me. "What is it?"

"Well, I realized I didn't know much about you, and yet, I'm dating your twin brother?" She smiled shyly. "Though if you're too tired…"

"I am all for getting to know you better, Olivia." I smiled back. "All I really know about you is that you make Robin happy. Which, admittedly, is amazing in its own right."

"Oh, goodness!" She colored, but laughed. "Well then, let's talk?"

"Sounds good."

* * *

"Ugh… my back aches…" I muttered, shuffling oddly. Maybe I could've walked 'properly', but honestly, thanks to my rather sizable baby bump, a shuffle just felt appropriate. "This sucks…"

"Easy, my lady," Frederick urged. He was escorting me to the throne room, mostly because Cordelia had wanted to give the area one more good patrol to make sure everything was safe. "I apologize that you have to tend to this when you should be resting."

"No, I need to. I just feel awful."

"You look lovely."

"I damn well better. Sumia and Maribelle spent nearly an hour." I gave him a sly look. "Gave me plenty of time to tease Sumia about her ring. It's nice, by the way."

"I'm glad you approve." Frederick tried to act nonchalant, but the flush on his face proved otherwise. "I'm allowed to be happy."

"Of course you are." I giggled, just… glad. I was glad he was able to move on, and I was glad he was happy with Sumia. I knew she was happy with him. "Ah, the throne room…"

"Here, my lady." He opened the doors and helped me inside. "You'll be fine."

"For once, I'm not worried about me."

"Everything will be fine."

"Better."

Robin met me then, and helped me to 'my' throne, the seat next to Chrom's. It was apparently custom made for each queen, unlike the Exalt's throne, which was a timeless piece of pale whites and golds that just looked horribly uncomfortable to sit in. The previous Queen's Throne had been a pretty thing of whites and blues. Mine was more silver and whites, and, unlike the previous one, was actually the same size as Chrom's.

Chrom took my hand when we reached the dais and kissed it, before helping me actually sit. Thanks to the bump, it was a little odd doing just about anything. Once I was settled, Chrom sat down as well, and looked over everything with an impassive expression. Robin moved to his side, giving me a small smile before letting his face go blank. Frederick stationed himself just behind Chrom. A flash of red hair told me Cordelia had done the same as Maribelle moved to stand beside me. It was a slow, deliberate process, and it was all to hold the court's attention for a very specific reason.

"Gaius, if you'll come forward," Chrom requested softly. Everyone else in the room held themselves at rigid attention, save for the group of five nobles on their knees before us. "You were looking into this for us."

"I was," Gaius confirmed. He was dressed a little finer than normal, though I caught sight of a little lollipop peeking out of a pocket. I had to fight to keep from smiling at the sight. "These are the idiots who tried to force a miscarriage, poorly, on Queen Kestrel and also the ones who, poorly, tried to have her attacked in the marketplace." He gave us a droll look. "Not sure if you should be more insulted on the attempt or how badly of a job they did, truthfully."

"Well, this is a court of law, so we must focus on the former." Chrom struggled to hide a smile, though. Gaius winked, hinting that it had been on purpose. "So, you five…" Chrom looked right at them. Two were defiant; the rest were looking down. "You have already given your defenses. I will not repeat the idiocy here." Chrom glared as one of the defiant ones opened their mouth. "I said I will not repeat the idiocy here. You have already been judged guilty, by your own peers at that. This is not a trial, but a sentencing."

"So, we ask the court their input," I murmured, shifting slightly to appear a little more vulnerable. This was my part. I knew it. I was the most offended party in this, and even those who hated me would likely show sympathy that I was attacked _while pregnant_. I did desperately search the crowd for friendly faces. I caught Virion's eye and he winked and mouthed 'magnificent', or so I guessed. It did wonders to reassure me. "Please, weigh in."

The gathered nobles hesitantly called out their thoughts. Most fell to two options: execution or exile. The defiant two continued to glare, and struggled against their bindings. The remaining three held perfectly still, except maybe to shrink further into themselves. Gaius kept a close eye on them all, while Chrom continued to watch impassively.

One tried to snarl at me, but I wasn't afraid. Even if I couldn't attack in this condition, I knew I was safe. Cordelia was behind me. Frederick was behind Chrom. Maribelle was beside me. Robin was just on the other side of Chrom. Chrom had the Falchion. I knew Shepherds were scattered through the crowd. Lissa wasn't here, sadly, since she was handling some diplomatic things for us. But everyone else was. I was safe.

Finally, Chrom held up his hand to stop the noise. "Well, it seems most of you fall in two camps," he murmured. He kept his eyes firmly on the guilty nobles. "What of you, my love? What is your thought?"

"Well, their attempts failed, and thus none were harmed, technically," I replied. I spoke slowly, mostly trying to gather my own thoughts. I'd been warned of this, but even now, I still wasn't sure I had my answer. "Emmeryn, I know, would've shown them mercy. I am inclined to give them a lesser punishment for the attempt, since they did so very poorly." I looked over the nobles, noting the defiant ones. "However, I remember the last time you gave mercy, Chrom. Some set fire to the capital, hurting innocent people. More attempted, and failed, to kill me." I focused my attention right on the defiant ones, and did my very best to school my expression into 'regal indifference'. "Those two. I do not think they can be trusted to not hurt innocents."

Murmurings from the crowd, and the two defiant nobles finally paled. They paled further as Chrom stood up. "I agree, my dear." He drew Falchion as he calmly walked down from the throne. The two defiant ones tried to retreat, but Gaius seized them. Robin followed Chrom and took one from Gaius. "What of the other three?"

"They certainly seem mortified enough to be repentant." I fixed them with a cold stare, but none of the three looked up. "Let them be exiled, and watched."

"Yes, that sounds appropriate." Chrom gestured and Sully and Stahl stepped out from the crowd, dragging the three to the side. The two formerly-defiant ones stared in horror. "But you two… your lives end today."

Chrom swung twice, cutting off their heads with ease. I watched their heads roll and kept my posture. I was the Queen and I'd given my judgment. I'd see it through.

* * *

"Last weeks of pregnancy really freaking suck," I groaned. I was seated in a chair, too uncomfortable lying on a bed now. Everything was uncomfortable, really, and I was so incredibly tired. It was almost hard to breath again. "Ugh…"

"It'll be over soon," Maribelle reassured me. She brushed out my hair for me, strangely full and thick considering everything. "The babies due in a month, right? Since they're twins?"

"Libra says that's typical, yes." I winced as I felt a kick. One of the twins was going to have strong legs, clearly. "I feel horrifically swollen."

"Well, your abdomen did stretch to accommodate the babies."

"I know that. I've more stretch marks now." I'd always had a few, of course, but my stomach was lined with them. Any more, and I might as well call myself a 'tiger'. "I just feel…"

"You feel like you've been carrying two children for eight months." Maribelle leaned down to kiss my head, continuing to brush my hair. "I must say, as much as I would love my children to have a sibling, I hope it's not a twin."

"I don't think it's much better. Just some things are more exaggerated." I laughed as a mental image bubbled into my head. "Oh, goodness, Lon'qu would freak out so much."

"He would." She giggled too, eyes very fond. "We've talked about children a bit, but he's quite adamant in waiting. I think he's worried about how his trauma would affect a daughter, and while that potential is there…"

"Mmm… I was certain he wouldn't be afraid of his daughter." But I could see where his fear would come from. After all, I was still afraid for my children. For all I knew, they'd be born with dragon claws and scales. I was a Vessel for Grima. Anything was possible. "Children, huh? Have Miriel and Kellam talked about it?"

"No, but I've noticed Miriel taking notes about what she hears about your pregnancy, so I think the topic is going to come up soon." Maribelle giggled again and moved to braid my hair. "I must say, though, the kingdom is excited. They're practically giddy with anticipation."

"Why?"

"Chrom's well loved, and the last royal birth was Lissa's, during a time of… well…" Maribelle fell quiet. "I obviously don't remember anything. I was a baby. I know my mother had been slain during it, and I know that things were rough for quite a few years."

"Did you know Clara?"

"I know of her. Father talks kindly of her even now." Maribelle laughed. "My father, actually, gave her a ridiculous request. A 'if you happen to see this' thing. My mother's wedding ring had been stolen. And, can you believe it, she actually did find it."

"Why do you think she ran?"

"Honestly, I wonder if she ran so that Emmeryn wouldn't have to order her execution." Maribelle continued braiding my hair. "She would've had to. Though that might've calmed the people's anger faster, it would've hurt Emmeryn so badly. I'm told she was always doting on Emmeryn and Chrom."

"I see." I remembered that woman I'd met. I was almost certain that had been Clara. I wished I'd talked to her more. "Will the nursery be done in time?"

"If not, I'm going to have quite a few words with the decorators." She muttered something very unflattering before going into details for how the nursery would be set up. I did my best to pay attention, but found myself drifting off before long. I was very tired, after all.

* * *

April 20th. I'd remember that date always for many reasons, not the least being, of course, that my twin girls were born that day.

"You two are the worse, making me be in labor for a day," I mumbled without heat. I smiled as one gurgled and curled into me. "Misshapen blobs." Yet, they were mine. They were my daughters. I loved them so very much already. I wondered if Mom had felt the same when Robin and I had been born. If that feeling had been why she'd left with us. Or maybe it had happened later, as she tended to us, fed us, watched up grow. I'd never know, sadly.

They shifted in my arms again, and I smiled, focusing on them. Both had blue eyes, though I'd been told that their eyes might darken as they got older; it wasn't uncommon for babies to be born with grey or blue eyes, but have them darken to brown or something. The older one, marked by the blue ribbon tied around her pudgy little wrist, had the Mark of the Exalt in her left eye, and Chrom's blue hair, already falling out a little. The younger one had it on her hand, and my auburn hair stubbornly clinging to her scalp. Both were sleepy, though.

A knock on the door made me look up, just in time to see Chrom step inside the room I'd been moved to. Lissa and Maribelle had insisted on it, so that I could be clean. I still felt grimy, but it didn't really matter at the moment. At the moment, there was just my two girls, and my husband who simply stood in the doorway awkwardly, just staring.

"Well, come in here, silly," I teased. My voice was still a bit breathy, and I was still exhausted. But I didn't want to sleep just yet. I wanted to hold them a little longer before I did. "They're your daughters too."

"I am memorizing this very beautiful scene, love," he replied, voice incredibly sincere. He carefully shut the door behind him and walked to sit next to me on the bed. He kissed my cheek and temple before hesitantly taking the older one's hand. She latched on instantly, eyes not quite focusing on him. "They're beautiful."

"They're rather squishy looking to me!" I laughed. "But yes, they're beautiful. They're our girls."

"Yes, they are." He tapped the ribbon curiously. "What's this for?"

"She's the older one. Technically, the older one would be your heir."

"Oh, right, the throne exists." He made a face and I laughed again. "Well, they can decide among themselves who gets to be heir. They'll get the same training, same lessons."

"Same opportunities to play?"

"Always." He smiled gently and carefully reached around to take the other's hand. She didn't latch on quite as tight, but she managed a smile for him. "I want them to have a happier childhood than either of us."

"Gods, I hope so. Mine was happy, until Mom died."

"I barely remember anything besides Emmeryn being the Exalt. But we'll make it so that they have a happy childhood. I know it." He kissed my cheek again. "So, their names?"

"Names?" I paused a bit before laughing. "Oh, goodness, I don't have any picked out. We've been so busy. It slipped my mind."

"Mine too, until Robin asked while you were giving birth." He laughed softly and leaned into me. "Pick some now, then."

"Mmm…" I gave him a playful glare. "All on me."

"You birthed them. I'd say you get first choice on names."

"Well, no complaining, then." I studied them both, trying to think of names that just sounded nice. Eventually, I settled on two. "Lucina and Victoria." I smiled at him and he smiled back. "Let's name them Lucina and Victoria."

* * *

A month or so after giving birth, there was a party celebrating Lucina and Victoria's birth. After the official announcements, I found myself with very little to do besides sit around and look pretty. No one expected much from me, except that I should continue to rest for a while longer. I couldn't wait to get back to work, though. If nothing else, I wanted to have those usual spars with Chrom again, and get myself back in shape.

"Your daughters are absolute delights, my dear." Virion appeared with a glass of wine for me. I took it with a smile and sipped it, enjoying the taste. There had been quite a few things I couldn't have while pregnant, alcohol among them, but since I wasn't breastfeeding my children, rather letting a wet nurse take care of it, I didn't have to worry much anymore. "You, however, seem lost in thought."

"Sorry, I'm still a little tired," I replied, smiling. It fell, slightly, when I noticed how tired he looked. "I didn't see you much during my pregnancy, and now… well, you've done well to disguise it, but…"

"Alas, I have been quite busy. My dearest Cherche got a message to me and…" he trailed off and shook his head, sipping his own wine. "No, this is a happy day."

"I'd rather know now, and warn Chrom sooner." I looked out over the crowd, smiling at how Robin and Lissa were cooing over their nieces. Robin's eyes were practically alight with cheer, and Lissa laughed with ease. Not far away, Chrom talked with nobles and the Shepherds made rounds, laughing and joking. It was so relaxed that I'd urged Cordelia to take a short break, and so, she was cuddled up with Libra in a corner. They were far from the only couple. "It's clearly important. I know you well enough for that."

"Indeed, you do." Virion fell silent again, but this time, I simply waited. "Walhart has successfully conquered all of Valm."

"And, thus, surpasses even Emperor Rudolph. Perhaps even Saint-King Alm?"

"There's debate on that latter one. Technically, the Saint-King conquered Rigel, but only the half with the capital. He worked very hard to gain Rigel's good favor, and secured Zofia's by marrying Empress Celica. Though, Zofia likely would've taken him as king anyway. It's a complicated mess."

"History always is. Legends like to streamline it."

"Indeed." He took a large gulp of wine then. "However, it's not only that. There's evidence that Walhart is amassing a very large fleet of ships."

"Of ships?" I stared blankly for a moment, not because I didn't get the implication, but because I knew _very well_ what the implication was. "I recall asking what was stopping him from crossing the seas, but I didn't think…"

"I know I hoped that he'd stop with Valm, even as I knew there was very little to stop him."

"Right…" This was beyond troubling. "Have you warned Flavia and Basilio?" It took a moment to find them in the crowd. It was the first time I'd seen them since the trouble on the border, and now, both looked happy. Flavia was kicking people's asses in a drinking contest, while Basilio teased Robin silly over courting Olivia. "They'll likely be first hit, if Walhart leaves from Otrela."

"I did, and I've Cherche keeping an eye on things for me. She'll give us some warning ahead."

"Why did she not come with you?"

"I ordered her not to. I didn't want her to suffer the people's hatred." He smiled slightly, and I found myself curious about this Cherche. But that was a topic for another time and, honestly, I'd probably meet her before long. "You and Chrom need to plan for a war, dear."

"…Yes, we do." And I didn't like it. I didn't like it one bit. I'd seen what war can do, what battles could do. My memories told me very well the fate of children during a war. Only now… now, two of those children were _mine_. "But let's chat of lighter things for now. Can you give Robin tips, for instance, on proper dates with Olivia?"

The world became a lot scarier when you were a mother. I wondered if Mom felt this, before she ran with us. I could only hope I'd have half as much strength as she did.

* * *

 _Notes on Olivia:_

 _A shy dancer from Ferox, affectionately dubbed the 'princess' of Ferox due to being Basilio's all-but-adopted-daughter. Close to Lon'qu as well._

 _Possesses the rare Dancer's Gift, a powerful magic that gives energy to those who sees her dance. Useful for battle strategies._

 _Dating Robin and the two are rather adorable. Sadly, duties and pregnancy keep me from really interacting with her, but I hope that'll change soon._

* * *

Author's note: So, if we're going into gameplay terms, Victoria is Kestrel's 'attached' child, and an OC. Male!Morgan won't be making an appearance (this is mostly for my own sanity; there are enough characters as is). I went with 'twin' just for the different dynamic than what you'd see in game. Maribelle mentioning that her mother was killed comes from _Shadows of the Exalt._

Each scene more or less deals with a month of Kestrel's pregnancy, with symptoms fairly typical for those months, though I didn't mention some other typical ones.

Next Chapter – The Seacomers


	27. Chapter 13) The Seacomers

Chapter 13) The Seacomers

* * *

 _I made sure to warn Chrom about Valm, but as the days go by, we try to pretend there's nothing brewing on the horizon. I resumed my duties as queen and took up sparring again to get back in shape, along with raising my daughters as best as I could, given the busy schedule. I rarely had free time, but I couldn't say I disliked all the work. It kept me from fretting. So did planning, and participating, in Sumia's wedding to Frederick. That had been a very joyous day, truly._

 _It was two months of very happy times. I was scared it would be the last we'd have for a very long while. I was really scared it would be the very last we'd ever have. But I kept my smile and poise. I was a queen, now. I'd act like it._

* * *

"Kes!" Chrom's mildly panicked voice made me laugh even as I continued with my task. "Kes, how do you get Lucina to stop crying?"

"She's only crying because you stopped playing with her, dear," I called back. I finished changing Victoria's diaper and leaned down to kiss her nose. She smiled and gurgled in response. She, at least, was perfectly happy. "Just give her back her toy!"

"She was trying to eat it!"

"Then just cuddle her, silly!" I moved Victoria off the changing table, setting her on her stomach, and started cleaning up. Little 'thumps' caught my ear, and I smiled when I saw her lift herself up briefly and look around before lying back down and staring at me. "Goodness, they're three months old. You'd think you'd be better at this by now, Chrom."

"It's not my fault I'm weak to tears!"

I only laughed and finished cleaning up and washing my hands. Then I scooped up Victoria and returned to the nursery, where Chrom had eventually managed to calm Lucina down and was now playing peekaboo with her. "Worth giving up your morning for, dear?" I teased. Victoria began kicking and fussing, so I set her down next to Lucina. I laughed again when she immediately climbed into Chrom's lap too and curled up with Lucina. "Aw, she loves her sister so!"

"Maybe that's what had her cranky?" Chrom suggested. He laughed too as Lucina jerkily got an arm around Victoria, the closest to a hug that they could do. For now. "And, to answer your question, of course. I love spending time with them." He gently set them on the floor, on their backs, and laughed again when they both started kicking. It was almost like they were having a little competition over it. "That's normal, right?"

"It's a way they play, or so I've been told." I giggled, watching them fondly. They both smiled at each other, giggling. "They'll need another health check soon with… gods, I always forget her name."

"Chelsea." Chrom stood up and wrapped an arm around my waist to pull me in for a hug and kiss. "She's been working with us as an herbalist since my father's war."

"That's right. She's a delight." Calm, and knew exactly what she was doing. I only saw her those few times I checked on the twins and she was there, though, so I rarely got to talk with her. "Why is it again that we moved their health from Libra to her?"

"Chelsea has more experience actually checking if a baby is healthy. She assisted with Lissa, actually." Chrom smiled softly and abruptly sat down again to tickle the twins. They giggled and tried to grasp his hands in return. "They're wonderful. Thank you, Kestrel."

"It's not because of 'just' me they're wonderful." Honestly, I felt they were wonderful _despite_ me. "But you're right. They're precious." I sat down as well, smiling at the little scene. Part of me wondered if Mom had played with Robin and me, just like this. "Ah, they probably need feeding soon, so…"

"Oh, good, you two are here." Robin walked in then, smiling warmly. But there was a seriousness to his face, and I knew that whatever he came here for, it wasn't to play with his nieces. "Aw, look at the cuties!" he cooed anyway. "I need to spoil them more."

"Beware, dear brother, because I will return the spoiling whenever you and Olivia get around to having children," I teased. He went bright red. "Did you finally propose, by the way? You spent forever picking out that ring."

"Um… well, yes, I did, late yesterday, and she said yes…"

"Marvelous!" I clapped my hands in delight and Chrom laughed, before returning his full attention to the girls. "I can't wait for the wedding! Will it be here? Ferox?"

"I… we're working on that?" His face went even redder. "Argh, you're the worst!"

"I warned you that I would get you back for teasing me." I let my cheer fade, though. "So, what happened? I'm assuming it's important."

"It is." Robin sighed and sat down. He picked up Victoria to cuddle, and I quickly picked up Lucina to do the same. Chrom playfully sulked before grinning in return. "Chrom, we got a message from Ferox."

"Did we?" Chrom replied. He sighed, his own smile disappearing. "Is it what I think it is?"

"Yeah. Flavia's asked if we can assist her in boosting the defenses of Ferox's westernmost port. Valm is no longer acting so neighborly, and sailors have reported warships sailing straight for us."

"Damn it." Chrom's hand curled into a fist. "So, he is invading, like Virion warned. Do we have numbers?"

"Not yet, but Virion thinks we will shortly. He's already gone to Ferox to meet with someone named 'Cherche'."

"Cherche is one of his knights, and a very dear friend to him," I explained. I hugged Lucina a little tighter, and she giggled, not understanding at all the seriousness of the conversation. "She's been gathering information for him, so…"

"Between that and Virion's own knowledge, we should be able to figure out some sort of strategy," Robin murmured. He frowned, but smiled when Victoria tried to bat it off his face. "Sorry, dear. The frown needs to stay." He focused on Chrom again. "I told the messenger that we'd move out as soon as possible, though only the Shepherds for now. We'll need time to gather an army."

"I hope we don't have to," Chrom growled. His posture went rigid. "I don't want to lead my people into another war. Two years of peace isn't enough."

"I know. But…"

"Chrom, we need to at least warn the people as to what is going on," I told him. I smiled when he glanced at me. "If we explain the situation to them, then if we do need to call for an army, it won't be as sudden. They'll be able to prepare, physically and mentally."

"True," Chrom sighed. He relaxed slowly, running a hand through his hair. "I hate that this trouble is here in the first place, but yeah, we'll warn them. We won't hide the troubles on the horizon."

"Precisely."

"Both of you are in very high regard, thanks to all the charity projects," Robin reminded. He smiled now too. "We'll work out details with Frederick, Chrom. I'll have to adapt some strategies to account for Cordelia not being there…"

"Why wouldn't Cordelia be there?" I asked, frowning. Cordelia hadn't mentioned anything about taking time off. She only wasn't with me now because Chrom was here, so I suggested she take the time off to cuddle with Libra. "Is there something you know that I don't?"

"I… uh…" Robin coughed awkwardly. "Well, aren't you… staying here? With the girls?"

"You said the Shepherds. Last I checked, you and I were there." I gave him a very droll look. "And I swear; if you're answer is 'but they need their mother', I will hit you."

"But they… do need their mother?" Chrom said instead. He flinched back when I glowered. "Besides, you're still recovering and the girls are… well, they… um…"

"Oh, honey…" I began very sweetly, with a smile to match. Chrom smiled nervously in return. "Do you really think you and Robin can do anything to actually stop me?"

"I… er…" Chrom coughed, glancing to Robin for help. Robin, smartly, threw his hands up in surrender. "I love you?"

"I know." I let my smile soften. "And you're right. I am still recovering. So, I won't ask to be part of the frontlines or anything. I'm fine with guarding. But I do want to see what's going on myself." A thought occurred to me, and I couldn't help but smirk. "Besides, do either of you two even knowing anything about Valm and its countries?"

"Uh…" Chrom exchanged a look with Robin and both groaned when they realized they didn't. "And you do?"

"Why, yes! I've done many jobs around there." I giggled, perfectly smug. "Virion, of course, knows more than me, but Virion's not here at the moment. I am."

"You can stop pretending to be a cat who caught the canary, and got a saucer of cream with it, sister," Robin grumbled. He looked down at Victoria, who had fallen asleep during all of this. A quick glance showed Lucina had also decided it was naptime. "But the children…"

"We do have guards we trust," Chrom pointed out reluctantly. "And I have a very fine steward who can run things without us. We'll have to revisit this discussion if it turns to a full on war, but at the moment, it's just feeling things out, right?"

"True." Robin sighed, but smiled. "Okay. And I'm sorry, sister. That was probably really insulting."

"I would've been less angry if you hadn't said 'they need their mother'," I grumbled. I glowered at them both. "They need all of their family, you idiots."

"You're right," Chrom agreed. He slid over to my side, and kissed my cheek. "I'm sorry. They deserve to have their parents. Neither of us had it."

"Precisely." I let myself soften. Badly worded as it was, I did know they were only concerned with my health and the girls. "But, regardless, they're asleep, so let's get them to their cribs, and I'll work with Cordelia to get supplies ready for you two while you chat war with Frederick."

Please, don't let this be bad… please…

* * *

"Haha! I've never seen Virion drop the act so fast!" I laughed, as I walked down the halls. "Gods, I shouldn't be so amused, I do adore him and value his friendship, but…"

"It is rather amusing to see him deflate," Cherche added. She snickered, grinning. "Oh, but don't tell him I said that."

"I'm sure he knows."

"He does, but it's just too much fun."

As I expected, when we arrived at Feroxi, Flavia and Basilio had met us with Virion and Cherche. After Cherche had given her report, though, I'd requested talking to her in private while the others worked on the defenses for the town. Cherche agreed, but only after warning Virion to not be dramatic about anything and simply giving the facts, and the quickness Virion had agreed with kept on amusing me.

"So, forgive me, your majesty, but what is it that you wanted to speak with me about?" Cherche asked once our laughter calmed. "I would have thought you'd listen in?"

"I'm not the tactician. I'm the 'I swear all that is holy, you will eat your vegetables or I will know why' person," I told her with a smile. "I'd given them my knowledge of Valm already. I figured Virion would have a better eye for what their current strategies are."

"True. He studied them very closely before he declared that Rosanne would not survive. Though, if Lady Cassandra had lived…" Her smile faltered and she shook her head. "Forgive me, um…"

"I know what happened. Virion told me."

"Really?" She studied my face closely with a little frown before nodding. "His letters mentioned that he trusted you, Duke Robin, and King Chrom quite a lot. I hadn't realized it was that much, though."

"We do value him, for all that we tease him about his bombastic speech." I smiled, giggling. "Maybe that's why. He needed to be trusted again."

"True. Our people hate him for running, but I know, more than anyone, how much it hurt him to do that." She clasped her hands in front of her and looked down. "It was very hard once we realized what happened to Lady Cassandra. Does he speak of her much?"

"No, but he carries a tea set she gave him, even though that has to be a pain to carry around everywhere. I imagine it hurts him to speak of her." Deciding that things were too gloomy, I nodded to her hairband. "That's pretty, by the way. Your hair piece."

"Oh, you think so?" Her face lit right on up again. Her slight smile told me she appreciated the change in subject. "Thank you. I made it myself."

"Really?"

"Yes, I'm quite good at sewing, if I may boast a little." Her smile softened. "Though, admittedly, I tend to simply mend clothing. It's very soothing." She paused, and stopped walking. "We keep getting distracted. Why did you want to speak with me?"

"Partially to help you relax. You were holding yourself very stiffly." I stopped as well and turned to face her. "I also thought that you'd like to meet the other fliers in our group before fighting alongside them. Your wyvern fights very different from a pegasus, and I worry they might be a little afraid, considering Plegia also fights with wyverns. I thought it might lessen future trouble if they got to know her scent and presence."

"That's very kind, your majesty. And clever." She smiled again, and nodded. "Do they know of your plan? The other fliers, I mean."

"Cordelia, my bodyguard, went to fetch Sumia. No doubt they're waiting for us now."

"I had wondered why your bodyguard would leave you with a stranger."

"I am admittedly out of practice, but I do know my way around a dagger, Cherche." I pulled back my sleeve so that she could see the one hidden there. She nodded approvingly. "I also have other means of fighting. I dislike them, but I dislike dying more."

"Fascinating." Her smile became warmer. "Well, in that case, would you like to fetch my Minerva with me?"

"Certainly." I gestured down the hall, and followed her when she began walking again. "Minerva, huh? That's the name of the last Queen of Macedon, isn't it?"

"Yes, I thought the name fit my wyvern. Adorable yet fierce!" Her pace quickened, clearly eager to see her wyvern again. "This way, your majesty."

She led the way briskly, making turns quickly and easily. It was clear that she had made certain she knew the fastest way to the to the little clearing just beyond the stables. There a wyvern rested, snarling at anyone who came close. Black scales glittered in the sunlight, and blue eyes narrowed at our approach. She quickly relaxed, though, when she saw Cherche walking up, and nuzzled her sweetly as soon as she could reach her. I'd heard wyverns bonded closely with their riders, but it was certainly a sight to see anyway.

"Queen Kestrel, this is my darling Minerva," Cherche introduced, hugging Minerva in return. "Isn't she the cutest?"

"I'd go more with awe-inspiring, but cute works too," I replied, stepping closer. Minerva lowered her head and growled, baring teeth. I met her gaze calmly, perfectly still, and nodded when Minerva backed down. "She's certainly magnificent. How long have you been with her?"

"Since I was nine, truthfully." Cherche gave Minerva a slightly worried look before returning her attention to me. "I was training to be a war cleric, you see, so I carried a very heavy staff to train for wielding an axe. So, whenever she misbehaved, I'd just bonk her on the head and tell her 'no'. And now she is the sweetest!"

"That is the most badass thing and I adore you for it." I studied Minerva, eyes narrowed. I didn't know much about wyverns, but I did know enough to know she wasn't quite full grown yet. Her scales weren't quite as thick as the full-grown wyverns I'd seen in the past. She was probably the equivalent of an older teenager, which was an amusing mental image. "She was probably a baby then herself, huh? No sign of her mama?"

"No, some hunters killed her mother, but one of them turned against his fellows and saved her. But she was very sick when I found her, which is what let me wrestle her down into submission."

"Wait, you wrestled her into submission?" I had to laugh. "That's just amazing."

"You're the first person besides Virion to not challenge my word."

"Look, I've been a mercenary. I've seen stranger. I've done stranger."

"Including make Minerva back down from a simple look." Cherche's smile faded. "I've never seen her do that before, truthfully. She normally growls a little more, at least."

"Maybe it's the mother death of doom I've perfected." Though, the stories always said that wyverns were distantly related to dragons. Grima was a giant and powerful dragon. Perhaps Minerva sensed Grima in me and cowered. "It could also be that I showed no fear. I've also seen things far scarier than a wyvern, Cherche. A wyvern will only rip you apart." I met Cherche's gaze, perfectly serene. "It's humans that scare me. They'll make you wish for death first."

"True. Walhart certainly proves that." Her face softened with another smile. "Ah, but here we are rambling. You wanted me to meet… I heard the name 'Cordelia'?"

"The redhead who was with me, yes. Sumia is the other flier of our little group." I smiled back. "They'll be at the front of the place, likely. If you'll follow me, we might be able to get a little bit of bonding before Valm shows up."

"At their fastest pace, I'd guess a few days, but it wouldn't be the first time they've surprised me." She shuddered. "Such zealotry… I've never seen it."

"I have." The Grimleal were practically the definition of zealotry. "But, regardless, let's get the bonding started, shall we?"

* * *

Valm's ships arrived in the harbor five days later. Within an hour, we had two lines of defense fall. The third, however, held magnificently, and so, our first battle with the Valmese army happened within the center of the town, with them uncaring of all the destruction and us desperately trying to keep them from destroying everything in their path.

"Tharja, I don't suppose you could do me a lovely favor?" I asked, cutting down a soldier. We were in one of the alleys, too narrow for a horse, to limit the number of people who could come after Tharja as she sniped with spells. "I'm aware I'm not as pretty of a sight as Gaius, but I would appreciate it nonetheless."

"You are a perfectly lovely sight, Kestrel," Tharja retorted instantly. She cast Flux spells with an almost bored look, using the shadows to devour the enemies. "And something tells me I will enjoy your favor anyway. You can answer a question I have, however, once I'd done the favor."

"Certainly." I cut down another and walked over to her, searching for one Valmese cavalier in particular. I found them quickly, and pointed them out. "You think you can give that one a terrifying death for me? Please?"

"Sure, but why would you want that?"

"I saw that one trample a child, and I'm pissed off."

"I do enjoy a mother's wrath." Tharja smirked and absently flipped through her tome and giggling. "I hope they like darkness…!" She gestured sharply, and the shadows beneath that particular soldier reached up and around, like a beast's maw, and snapped down on them, killing them instantly. "Soldiers really do need better resistance to magic."

"No, they don't. Well, ours do, but don't complain about fighting being easy."

"I suppose." She glanced at me. "Now, my question. How in all the bloody hells did they get those horses on the ship? They require a lot of food, water, and they defecate at a rate faster than your twins combined."

"Ha!" I grinned, amused. "You can modify ships to account for the horses, and you just bring their food along with yours. Same thing as humans, Thajra."

"Blech, I dislike the very idea of being on a floating, flammable thing." Her eyes narrowed. "I will demand reparations if you insist on me getting on one."

"Taking over yours and Gaius's chores for a night or two so that you've lots of time together?"

"Mmm, it'll do for the moment." She smiled, though. "For the moment." The smile faded and she nodded to someone behind me. "Olivia."

"Sorry to bother," Olivia replied, smiling gently as she raced over. She wore a modified version of her dancer's outfit, one with leather armor to help guard her from arrows. A gift from Robin. "But Tharja, Robin wants you to fall back to a different area of the town. They're moving out of your range."

"I see," Tharja replied. She crossed her arms and nodded. "Very well. Are you to lead me?"

"Yes." Olivia looked to me. "Robin also wants you to guard Virion, Kestrel. Miriel took a bad hit, so he's having Kellam pull back to guard her."

"And let him privately worry about his lady wife," I joked. I'd told Robin to just leave Kellam near Miriel in the first place; they fought better when near each other. "This will show him to listen to his sister, huh?"

"Oh, he listens to you all the time, Kestrel," Olivia replied, almost defensive. Then her smile ruined it. "Of course, he doesn't always go along with it when he should."

"You suggested something and he did the opposite, and now you're proven right."

"Yes, but at least he's properly contrite when it happens?" She giggled, blushing. Tharja and I exchanged a knowing look on what 'contrite' meant. "Regardless, battle positions?"

"Yes, of course, Olivia," Tharja replied. Her smirk told me what her next words would be long before she actually said them. "Let me know if you need a contraceptive, by the way. Or a fertility charm. I know how to make both."

I laughed so hard at Olivia's embarrassed squawk that we had to fight off a couple of enemies before we could actually get to our positions. I took the back ways through everything, mostly because I needed to stop a couple of times to catch my breath. Two months wasn't quite enough time to recover from pregnancy, or get back in shape, so I wasn't at my best. I felt it, and it annoyed me terribly. We had invaders, clearly some willing to kill children like they were nothing, and I couldn't fight as well as I wanted. Aggravating, to say the least. I tried to keep it off my face when I met up with Virion, but his sympathetic smile told me I'd failed. I didn't mind much.

"All hail the beauteous warrior queen!" he declared, dramatically bowing. And conveniently avoiding an arrow with the motion. "I am delighted to be in the presence of such a testament of strength."

"You always know how to make me laugh," I replied, smiling already. It faded as I looked around the battlefield and saw the blood running into the water. "That's going to mess up fishing. Providing any fishermen have survived."

"Some, my queen. Some." Virion's eyes narrowed and he brought up his bow, aiming an arrow. Two blinks later, one of the Valmese riders went down with an arrow through the eye. "Walhart knows he needs _some_ alive to be laborers."

"Gods, what an arrogant asshole. Who goes around conquering the world anyway? That's such a stupid goal. You can't balance that many countries, and ruling through fear only lasts so long." I blocked an incoming axe and cut off the wielder's head. "If you give people nothing to lose, you're only inviting them to take everything you have."

"He calls himself the Conqueror."

"What a coward, then. It's easy to kill a person. It takes actual effort to rule."

"And this, my dear, is why you are a queen." Virion smiled briefly before shooting a distant mage, just before they fired a spell up at Cherche. "I will admit; it soothes my weary soul to see Minerva flying about again."

"You've missed her."

"Terribly." His smile became nostalgic, and I was almost tempted to ask a little more. But this was neither the time nor place. Nor was it my business, really. "Seems she's flying well with Cordelia and Sumia."

"They practiced a bit." I looked down and saw our own cavalry leading theirs in circles, right into traps. "I think we've got the battle under control."

"Do we?" Virion also looked around and nodded, smiling. "I knew that would happen." His smile faded quickly. "But will it continue? Valm won't stop."

"I'm sure Robin can make a victory. I'm more worried about whether Ylisse will survive it." I was also worried about the Grimleal. They specialized in moving through the shadows, and war cast the whole world in darkness. "Say, what are the chances of Walhart being manipulated?"

"I'm certain he's doing this of his own free will."

"You can do many things of your own free will, Virion, and still being manipulated like a pawn. In fact, the best at the game are the ones who turn that free will to their advantage."

"Depends on who would benefit from a war like this." Virion brought his bow up again, carefully sighting a distant rider shouting orders. "Can you think of someone?"

"At the moment, aside from my general distrust of the Grimleal, no. For now." I knocked aside a thrown handaxe, keeping it from hitting Virion. "But that might be something we keep an eye on."

"Very true." He loosed the arrow and it caught the enemy leader straight in the neck. They gasped and coughed up blood, struggling to remain on their horse, but then Minerva swooped by and snatched them up. Cherche tugged on the reins and led Minerva up, right over a group of Valmese soldiers, and had Minerva drop the body into the center, making them freeze and leaving them completely open to retaliation from our own forces.

The battle was over. But there was no comfort in it.

* * *

"Such devotion to their ruler," I muttered, glaring at the bodies. We'd tried to capture some of the Valmese soldiers, but they committed suicide before we could interrogate them. Gaius did a search of the bodies, and we did get some information, but still. "Gods, it's like we're fighting the damn Grimleal."

"I don't suppose, sister, you happen to know a way to interrogate the dead?" Robin asked absently. He winced when I glared. "Sorry, that was… I'm sorry."

"Please don't ever think that again."

"I won't. I'm sorry." He pulled me into a one armed hug, and I relented, resting my head on his shoulder. I knew he was just desperate for information. Information was a tactician's weapon. "Let's join Basilio, Flavia, and Chrom."

"Shouldn't we…?"

"Sister, the whole reason we came over here is because we both severely injured our hands digging through the rubble for survivors, remember?" He held up his hand, bandaged instead of glove before taking mine, which was the same. "Oh, huh, we have the same size hands."

"Is now really the time?" Still, I smiled, laughing. "Okay, right. Lissa might hurt us if we try to keep helping out when we're hurt."

"Forget Lissa. _Olivia_ will kill me." He made a face, and I had to laugh again. "Oh well. It would be a nice death, I suppose. Maybe. I'd have a pretty sight at the end of it, at least."

"That is so morbid." And I was horrible for continuing to laugh. "Let's go before you kill me with laughter."

"Oh, I could never hurt you, Kestrel. I'd weep and I look absolutely horrible when I cry. And that, according to Maribelle, is a horrific tragedy."

I choked on laughter, and he joined me a split-second later, leading me from the ruined house where we'd had our 'prisoners' to the place by the bloody, splintered decks of the port where Chrom, Flavia, and Basilio talked. All three paused, however, when we twin hyenas headed for them, and they looked both annoyed and 'oh, gods, did they snap?'.

"I'm really interested in whatever joke has you two so amused," Flavia noted dryly. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Very interested."

"How morbid is your humor, Flavia?" I asked in return, covering my mouth to at least muffle the sound. "Unfortunately, it's a combination of morbidity and sheer ridiculousness."

"Besides, Gregor says that sometimes when you're frustrated, you need to laugh to make the world all confused and not screw with you quite so much," Robin cheerfully added. He did let his cheer fade, though, and it wasn't long before I could stop my own laughing. "So, how bad?"

"Bad," Basilio sighed. He looked over the port, and I remembered then that he was the _West_ -Khan. This was a port he knew well, and one he likely put a lot of time into helping. In the space of a few hours, it was ruined. "Though, thankfully, the multiple lines of defense helped dampen civilian casualties. They're low."

"But they're still there," Flavia added. She crossed her arms, and shuddered. "And we're going to have to explain to some parents that their children won't be making it home, and some children that their parents won't pick them up."

"Yeah, they weren't taking any prisoners." Basilio rubbed his temple. Chrom, silent, took my hand and squeezed it. I leaned into his side reassuringly. "It didn't matter. You bent the knee or you met their blades. Lovely people. They don't even take pleasure from it, which I could at least forgive to a degree. Gods know I love a good fight. But they just didn't care."

"How extensive are the damages?" Chrom asked. He looked to the waters, where the waves were desperately trying to wear away the signs of battle. Blood and splinters bobbed and swirled about, though, determined to stay. "I can see here, but the rest…"

"Everything behind our lines is fine," Basilio reassured. However, he looked grimly towards a nearby… well, it had been a house. Now, it was rubble. "The things in front, not so much. This isn't even going into the damage to our army. We're still recovering from our little revolt, and now…"

"And let's not forget that this is supposedly the vanguard," Flavia growled. She dug her fingers into her bandaged arms, and blood seeped down. She didn't seem to care. "A taste of the meal yet to come. If the rest come…"

"We're screwed. Plain and simple." Basilio's declaration made all of us look down. "So, the question becomes… what the hell are we going to do?"

"Right now, we clearly need to rest and repair," Robin pointed out. He looked mostly calm, but I could see the trembling in his eyes. "After that…" He sighed. "I can think of a couple of strategies. I'm sure I can think of more by working with Virion, Cherche, and Kestrel. But, do we want to fight? Can we afford fighting?"

"Ylisse isn't necessarily in the best place for a war, particularly one across the sea," Chrom admitted. His grip on my hand tightened, but it loosened when I winced in pain. "Neither is Ferox, really. We have a few ships, but…"

"We also need to consider if we can afford to just let them come, though. They're both bad options, and we have to pay one of them." Robin's expression became grim. "Which is cheapest?"

"That… is something we'll have to think on," Basilio whispered. "As rulers and…" He looked directly at Chrom and me. "You two will have to think on your girls. If it's war across the sea…"

"…Yeah, there's a lot to think on," Chrom agreed. He looked down and I rested a hand on his shoulder. "Both on a professional, and personal level."

"So let's meet again in… a month? That sound okay?"

"Do we have a month?"

"If we don't, then we'll push them back and then decide." Basilio shook his head, and began walking off. "Make sure to rest. I will once I help a bit more with the rubble."

Flavia disappeared down the road as well, and Robin followed soon after, whispering something about her needing to check in with the healers. Chrom and I remained by the water, though, standing there in silence. Chrom absently traced patterns on my bandaged palm, eyes distant.

"We have a lot to think on, it seems," I whispered, breaking the silence. I twisted my hand to hook my fingers around his. "I can't say I'm eager to leave Lucina and Victoria."

"Neither am I, Kes," Chrom replied softly. He leaned forward to rest his forehead against mine. "At the same time, those… those bastards didn't care about the children in their way. I don't want them anywhere near Ylisse."

"Neither do I. But can we fight back?"

"I don't know. We'll have to look at the numbers." He looked at me. "Kes…"

"Don't ask me to stay behind until we know what's going on." I smiled sadly. "I know that as a mother, and queen, I might need to. Hell, you might need to, as Exalt. But let's not ask anything like that until we know what we're doing. The army might need your charisma, and _you_ might need my blade and knowledge of the area."

"Why does that have to be true?" He became fondly exasperated. "Did you have to be so well-traveled?"

"Robin and I ran for our lives, and the Grimleal had little presence in Valm." I shrugged. "Though, I've no idea how it is now."

"It'll be fine. We'll make it fine. Somehow." He closed the distance between us and kissed me gently. "For now…"

"Let's help the people here, and leave in the morning to explain the situation."

This was going to be a very long month. A very, very long month.

* * *

 _Notes on Cherche:_

 _A former vassal of Virion's from Rosanne, she is a quiet woman who enjoys sewing, cleaning, and cuddling with her wyvern, Minerva._

 _Her strength actually rivals Vaike's, making her one of the strongest in the army, and thanks to Minerva, she can land in the thick of things and emerge on top. However, due to Minerva's size, she isn't very fast, and magic can kill Minerva (and her) in one hit due to a lack of resistance._

 _She needles and prods Virion to deflate his ego, but it's clear she's closer to him than anyone. Perhaps she's why Virion's flirtations and one-night stands never last?_

* * *

Author's note: Welcome to the second act. In-game, Chrom more or less jumps at the battle, but I thought it would make far more sense for all of them to be like "wait a moment, can we really afford this?". Cherche's story about how she met Minerva comes from her supports, and they are hilarious (and they also explain her class change options very neatly).

Next Chapter – Interlude, Declaration


	28. Interlude - Declaration

Interlude – Declaration

* * *

 _As soon as we returned to Ylisse, Chrom made an announcement about the threat. He was careful to emphasize that we were not yet at war, but that we could be. It was a sobering speech, and the first one he'd made that wasn't met with cheers. That was to be expected, of course. Same to the general air of gloom and unease that fell over the country in the aftermath. Ylisse had two years of peace after the second war with Plegia, and everyone remembered all too well that first disastrous war with Plegia._

 _No one wanted a war. But Valm might bring it to us no matter what we wanted. That's what tyrants did, after all. 'Conqueror'… what a fool._

* * *

"I'm sorry. I know it's distressing," I murmured. The woman I'd just spent the past few minutes listening to relaxed, wiping her hands on her apron. "I promise we're going to avoid fighting as much as we can. The trouble comes solely from Valm. If they invade, we have to defend you."

"I understand, your majesty," the woman whispered. She smiled ruefully, bowing her head. "Thank you for listening."

"Of course." I smiled brightly as she left and then greeted the next person to come to me with equal cheer and reassurance.

We'd been back in Ylisstol for a week, and it had been six days since Chrom informed the people of what was going on. I'd spent every morning since in the city, listening to people's worries. All I could do, really, was reassure them that Chrom would not make the decision lightly, but that seemed to be enough for them.

In between listening and talking, I studied the city, taking it all in. You could still see where the fires from two years ago had devastated the area. There were still traces of where the war had torn through. Ylisstol gave a brave face, but it still recovered. Ylisse still recovered. And so it was all too easy to remember the ruined rubble of the port. It was all too easy to see that damage here in Ylisstol. To see the lively market filled with screams and blood and trampled corpses.

I didn't want that to happen. I didn't want anything like that to happen here again. But would Valm give us the choice? I doubted it. Everything I'd heard about this Walhart made him seem like the most selfish person, with an arrogance and charisma to match. At least the Grimleal could say they do their vile deeds _for_ someone other than themselves. Of course that someone was Grima, selfishness incarnate, but still.

As always, the crowd began thinning out around lunch, and so, Cordelia led me inside the castle again to eat and take care of my afternoon duties alongside Sumia and Maribelle. We walked in silence, as was our typical, though I waited until we were in the 'royal wing' of the palace before letting myself sigh and droop. Cordelia rested a reassuring hand on my back, silently giving me support.

"The worst part is that Valm continues to be silent," I whispered. We had pegasus knights flying patrols, but the rest of Valm's ships hadn't been seen. Cherche volunteered to fly back to Valm, but Chrom refused, citing it was simply too dangerous for now. "Honestly…"

"Everything will be fine, Kestrel," Cordelia reassured. Her tired smile told me how much this was getting to her too. I knew she helped Libra prepare medicines and the like when I dismissed her for the day. "We should talk of something else, though. Maybe that'll help us?"

"True. We've done nothing but eat and breath war preparations, huh?" I managed a smile as well, and racked my brain for anything I'd heard recently. Finally, it did remember a half-bit of a rumor I'd heard from Lissa's grumblings. "So, I heard something about Nowi and Donnel, of all people?"

"Yeah, I don't know." Cordelia laughed, already relaxing. "But they're apparently a couple."

"Really? When did that happen?"

"No one knows, really. It just kind of happened, like how Panne and Stahl happened without us noticing." She shrugged. "Regardless, they are yet another happy couple among our Shepherds. Hooray!"

"That's quite a few now, isn't it? Some have lasted quite a while too. I wonder if any of them are planning on children." I giggled and looked slyly at Cordelia. She instantly blushed and glanced to the side. "I didn't even say anything."

"Shush. I know what you were going to ask."

"Well, have you thought about it?"

"We have. Some. Both of us are a little worried about being parents. He was left at the church and I grew up on the streets." Her blush faded and she winced. "I'm terrified I'd give my child some sort of complex or make them feel unloved or… something. Libra's afraid too, for similar reasons."

"I think you'd be good parents personally, but I can understand." I smiled and poked her cheek. "I do hope your child will be good friends with Lucina and Victoria, though."

"Of that, I can be certain." Cordelia smiled finally. "Your children, Sumia's, and mine. That would be fun to watch."

"Wouldn't it?" I laughed, warming to the mental image. It was easy to add in Robin's children too. I really did hope they'd all get along, in that nebulous future. "Also, remember Cordelia, you and Libra will have us to help you."

"That's true." Her smile grew. "Ah, this is silly talk considering everything."

"Considering everything, silly talk is needed, and if I'm saying that, it must be true." I linked arms with her. "Let's find Sumia, actually, and continue the conversation. If nothing else, we'll get to watch her reactions."

"True." She laughed and leaned into me. "That'll be fun. Let's go!"

* * *

"Goodness, you two are certainly in a messy phase," I teased, cleaning up the changing area in the nursery. Both Lucina and Victoria gurgled and giggled a bit, kicking and rattling their toys. They'd drooled all over their toys, and their clothes, so I had to change them into something clean. "Sillies."

Lucina's response to _that_ was to try and throw the toy. Well, probably more like she accidentally threw it, but it was still amusing. Her face scrunched up to cry, and I went to pick it up, but she hadn't thrown it far. Victoria swiped at it a few times, frowning, before grasping it and pulling it towards her. After putting it in her mouth, she handed it to Lucina before she cried. I stared, stunned, and I smiled when the two began laughing, outright laughing, instead of the little 'happy gurgle smiles' I was used to.

"I wish Chrom was here to see this," I whispered, finishing my cleaning and then washing my hands. "It's a shame he's missed their first laugh." But that was the way life went. He _had_ been with me earlier, enjoying a much needed break, but a message came from Robin, citing new information, and so, Chrom had left to tend to it, asking a servant to get Cordelia, Maribelle, or Sumia for me. "I wonder…"

I carefully crept closer and both immediately focused on me. Grinning now, I quickly tickled them both and laughed when they laughed too. I heard the door open behind me, but didn't think anything of it, assuming it was simply Cordelia walking in. So, instead I continued playing with my girls, while also making sure they're clothes were neat and not dirty.

Something sharp struck me across the back, shrieking pain making me gasp. If I hadn't been a Vessel, it was quite possible the pain and shock alone would've knocked me out. My vision went white even with that durability. But it cleared quickly enough and I whirled to someone wearing dark clothes and a mask standing behind me. They carried a bloody blade, and it was easy to piece the pieces together from there.

This was an assassin. They aimed to kill me. And the way they approached menacingly even now made me sincerely wonder if they aimed to kill my children too.

"Non ignoras tu contra iniuriam tulit!" I snapped, delving into my magic. My blood burned, and the pain on my back intensified. I had no choice but my magic, though. I had no sword, and my dagger was in my desk. And the way to that was blocked. "Sanguinem tuum meum est: et succendetur!"

I gestured sharply, a spark of purple-red magic spiking from my fingertips. The assassin dropped, writhing in a pain so agonizing they couldn't even breathe. But I had no reprieve. Three more walked through and I cursed the fact that there was only one door to the nursery now. There was a secret entrance, certainly, but I was so frazzled that I honestly couldn't remember where it was. There were the windows, but we were a few floors up. I could survive, sure, but I had no idea if my girls were.

"Et succendam vos omnes!" I focused my magic on the new ones, trembling from effort. This wasn't a curse meant to be used on multiple people at once, and I had to hold it until they died. So even when the next three fell, I nearly despaired when two more came. So many, just for me. Just for us.

Lucina and Victoria wailed in fright behind me. I struggled to think of more damaging curses, but came up blank. I wasn't trained in this. I only knew a few. I never wanted to learn. Now, I regretted not knowing.

"Kestrel!" But it had been enough. Thank everything holy, it had been enough. Because Cordelia launched her way over the assassins and skewered two when she landed. I let the curses drop and collapsed on my knees, gasping. "I don't know who the hell you people are, but I'll make you regret coming here!" Cordelia snapped, eyes blazing with hatred. "You want to try against someone armed?"

"As if we'd give them the choice!" One of the recovering assassins suddenly burst into flames, and Maribelle strode in over the burning corpse, dusting the ash off her boot. "Ugh, they got my clothes dirty," she scoffed. She stood protective in front of me, and I felt like sobbing. Instead, though, I dragged myself up and worked on calming the girls. "That's quite expensive, you know. Almost as expensive as attacking my friends."

"You're all despicable wretches." The last two were stabbed as they tried to stand, one through the back and one through the arm, and Sumia just left the lance in as she rushed for me. "Kestrel, your back!" she gasped, wrapping a supporting arm around me. I nearly collapsed into her hug. "Maribelle, you have a staff on you?"

"I do." Maribelle also turned to fuss over me. Cordelia shifted kicked the corpses of the would-be assassins out the door, and killed a _sixth_ one as they tried to push their way in. "Ugh… this is a messy injury. Hold still, darling."

"Thank you guys, so much," I breathed, coughing on my own tears. I wasn't going without a weapon again until things were safe. Ever. "Ah, goodness…" A thought occurred to me, though, and I turned to face them. "Wait, why do all three of you have your weapons, though?"

"Part of it is luck," Sumia explained. She helped me calm Lucina and Victoria into just sniffles and then helped me limp over to a chair. When the girls began whimpering again, Maribelle carried them over to me and got them settled in my lap. "I was learning tomes with Maribelle and…"

"And you weren't the only one attacked," Cordelia finished. She eyed the one pinned by the arm and swiftly hit them over the head twice. "Either dead or unconscious. Hoping for the latter for information." She bowed her head. "I'm sorry. I should have gotten here much sooner."

"I should've had Chrom wait until someone else came," I corrected. I hugged Lucina and Victoria to me, trying to not shake. Maribelle continued tending to my back. "Who else got attacked?"

"Lissa, Robin, and Chrom." Cordelia's eyes were dark. "Lissa was with Libra and me, getting axe lessons. When that happened, I rushed here as soon as I could. I heard of the attacks on Robin and Chrom, but I'm certain they're-"

"Kes! Kes, are you still here?!" Chrom swung into the room then, splattering with blood and dripping with sweat. He held Falchion in a white-knuckled grip, and simple stared for a long moment, watching Maribelle treat my back while I soothed the girls. As soon as Maribelle stepped away, though, he surged forward, dropped Falchion, and kissed me fiercely. "You're okay…" he breathed when he pulled away. "You are, right? The girls?"

"I'll be fine, and the girls were just frightened, love," I answered. Sumia dragged another chair over so that Chrom could sit, and she ushered Cordelia and Maribelle out, likely to make sure things were safe. "See? They're right here." I hugged them again, and my heart broke at how quickly they curled into me. "Just a bit frightened…" My voice caught and I choked on the words. "Oh gods, Chrom… I was changing their clothes. I had my back turned. If they'd hit me harder… if they'd hit me in a different spot, they would've… our girls…"

Chrom held me tightly, sitting to help shield Lucina and Victoria from everything. He shook even more than me, and I knew why. He'd left. He'd been lured away. If I hadn't been proficient with curses… if Cordelia, Maribelle, and Sumia hadn't arrived when they did… gods, I could've died. The girls could've died.

Gods above, my mother dealt with sort of fear every day after she ran with us. I wished I could've asked her how she managed it. I wished I could've asked her for help.

* * *

The assassins were dealt with quickly, as was expected, and those that lived… well, we handed them to Tharja and Gaius. It wasn't long at all that we got information from them, and our fears were confirmed. They were from Valm.

"I am so sorry!" Virion, for his part, took the news especially hard. After all, he was our resident 'expert' with Walhart and his troops, followed closely by Cherche. "I knew their methods were deplorable, but to send assassins after _children_ …" he tried to say more, but, for once, he was without words and so, he simply bowed his head. "I'm so sorry. I should've thought of that."

"Virion, please, raise your head," I urged. I had to sit stiffly thanks to the injury on my back, but I did manage to snag him in a hug. "We're fine. And clearly, this isn't something you anticipated?"

"Mmm… no, truthfully." Virion slowly relaxed and let himself actually sit down beside me. We were in Chrom's very defensible study with the rest of the Shepherds, but most of them were busy cooing over Lucina and Victoria and triple-checking all the defenses. Only six weren't. Cordelia, Sumia, and Cherche were flying a patrol to make sure more weren't coming. Sully, Stahl, and Frederick did the same on the ground. "If it was anyone else, I would've, but Walhart values strength above all else. Crushing one's enemies beneath his boot. Assassins… don't fit that normal strategy."

"It seems odd for him to suddenly change tactics, yes."

"Got an answer to that one." Gaius popped over and sat down with Virion and me. "Your kids are cute, but they want to steal my candy," he complained, holding up a broken lollipop for emphasis. "Seriously, why."

"They're exploring the world and, thus, everything goes into their mouth," Virion explained with a little laugh. I simply giggled, relaxing. "So, your answer?"

"Well, seems like this Walhart got a new tactician within the last couple of years. Someone named Excellus, and _he_ favors tactics like this." Gaius shrugged. "When there's a battle, Walhart just crushes, but Excellus seems to like making people dance and wince."

"Meaning he's not a very good tactician." Robin joined us then, and he wrapped a protective arm around my shoulders. It had taken a lot of time to calm him down when he learned Lucina and Victoria had been possible targets. "Purposely goading potential enemies," he growled, eyes still sparking with that quiet fury. "Only a fool thinks of that. An utter moron."

"True, considering that we're an 'unknown' enemy as well," Virion added. He frowned and glanced at Gaius. "Or are we not unknown?"

"They certainly weren't expecting our lovely bird here to make their blood boil," Gaius replied. He glanced at me, and I fidgeted nervously. Robin tightened his hug on me. "Tharja says that's a highly technical curse?"

"I saw my mother perform it enough times?" I whispered hesitantly. I tried to shrug, but Robin's arm prevented that. "I can do curses. I just hate them. A lot. And, as proven here, there's a lot of limitations. It's really best suited for briefly distracting to drop the guard, but I didn't have a lot of options."

"No, no worries. Tharja was more impressed than anything." Gaius fished through his pocket and popped some form of chocolate into his mouth. I wondered how it stayed unmelted. "Regardless, that's your answer. New tactician."

"But given his normal ways, that just makes it stranger." I frowned, trying to think this through. "The tactics run against what he seems to favor. Strength and domination do not fit the normal thought process of an assassin. Assassins are quiet disruptions, a way to destroy the enemy while pleading innocence."

"He could've changed in the past two years, but Cherche's very recent information seems to confirm that Walhart is still strength-obsessed warrior in lobster armor." He shrugged as we gave him very weird looks. "Apparently his armor looks like a lobster. Ask her for more information. She was scandalized by it apparently."

"Quite the feat, given Cherche's unusual sense of aesthetic," Virion commented. His soft smile hinted he was rather fond of it. I seriously wanted to know more about the two of them, but I couldn't figure out a polite way to ask. "But a new tactician… that puts a severe limit on how 'good' my information is. And given that Cherche didn't report it either…"

"Probably makes it a very recent appointment, and the game has changed considerably," Robin whispered. His eyes were still hard. "Well, if we go after them, I'll break them."

"Careful you don't break us with it. Remember what I told you during our chess matches."

"I know. I'll be careful. Thankfully, I know Chrom will reject anything that's too much." He finally softened and leaned into me. "And I'm sure I'll be calmer in a couple of days. I'm still livid."

"Ah, yes, I understand you and Olivia were in the middle of an intimate moment when the assassins so rudely-"

"Not what I meant!" Robin's face went a bright-bright red, and I burst into laughter, unable to help it, and Gaius and Virion soon joined in, The other Shepherds, particularly Lissa and Chrom, gave us weird looks. Olivia, holding Victoria, frowned before noticing how red Robin was and apparently putting the pieces together from there, because she went bright red too, adding to the confusion.

It only calmed when Frederick walked in, but that was mostly for his serious look. "My lord, my lady, if you can come with me?" he requested. Robin was already helping me stand. "With the princesses? You need to step outside."

"We do?" Chrom asked. He took Lucina from Vaike and I took Victoria from the still-blushing Olivia. "Why?"

"Word has spread quickly about the assassination attempt and we currently have people practically tearing down the gates, demanding reassurance that you are all okay." Frederick smiled slightly as Chrom and I simply stared. "Now, please?"

"Right." Chrom glanced at the others. "Check the crowd for me, will you?"

They agreed, of course, and Frederick quickly ushered us down the hall and onto the balcony where Chrom would make speeches. It took all my lessons in poise to keep my jaw from dropping at the sheer size of the crowd gathered. The last time I'd seen so many clustered together, we were celebrating the anniversary of the war's end. The last time I'd heard so many people cheer so loudly was during our wedding celebrations. They were actually loud enough to startle Lucina and Victoria, and I quickly worked on calming them, while Chrom addressed the people, reassuring them that we were fine.

As such, it took me a while to realize the mood of the crowd. While Valm stayed a distant threat, they had been uncertain, but Valm had struck us directly. Valm had threatened us directly, and now they could see the threat. They could see that this danger wasn't going to quietly disappear. So, they shouted for war, because someone who would allow an assassination like this… they were not someone to be trusted.

This was Ylisse's declaration of war. And gods above, they were going to fight whether we liked it or not.

* * *

Basilio and Flavia visited Ylisstol a week and a half after the assassination attempt, and the first thing both did was come check on Lucina and Victoria, and then me. Flavia was absolutely livid over the attacks, and Basilio took them personally, mostly because of Robin. Robin, after all, was Olivia's fiancé, and thus, he was part of Basilio's extended family. Therefore, so was I, and Chrom. It was a heartwarming loyalty, and it made me smile.

"Kestrel really took the worst injury, and it's gotten healed up by now," Robin finished explaining. Though we were in the very protected throne room, he had his tome in hand. I had my sword buckled to my belt, as Chrom had Falchion on his. None of us went unarmed now. "Aside from paranoia and lingering resentment, we're fine."

"I'm glad to hear that we avoided a worst-case-scenario," Flavia sighed. She finally relaxed and tapped the hilt of her own sword impatiently. Neither she nor Basilio were unarmed either. "Ugh… we're fighting cowards. Highly devoted, borderline insane cowards. It's lovely, isn't it?"

"Yes, quite." Robin smiled slightly, but the dark glint in his eyes didn't make it comforting. I almost felt sorry for Excellus. Almost. "I've been making plans."

"Oh, have you now?"

"He has," Chrom confirmed. He crossed his arms and smiled ruefully. "I've made no official announcement, since I wanted to wait to discuss it with you, but my people are of one mind. Valm is too dangerous. They clearly mean to destroy our hard-earned peace."

"Good, we're of one mind," Basilio replied. He and Flavia glanced at each other and nodded. "Our people have been difficult to control ever since the port. They want blood now. They want vengeance. _Then_ we got word of what happened here. So now they want extra-vengeance with a side of blood-cake. They're frothing that we lost so much to cowards."

"Then it looks like we're all going to war again."

"Yep. But there's a problem: ships. Ferox only has a few. We were never one for naval fighting." Basilio spoke slowly, like he was navigating shaky ground. "We also need gold."

"True," Robin sighed, frowning. I closed my eyes, though, because I already figured it out. "So, how do we-?"

"Plegia," I whispered, opening my eyes to look at everyone. Robin stilled. Chrom froze. Flavia and Basilio sighed and looked resigned. "Plegia relies on sea trade more heavily than Ferox and Ylisse, so they have countless ships. Ships that did not see battle. They also have quite a bit of gold thanks to that sea trade, even after paying reparations for the war.."

"Pretty much, yeah," Basilio confirmed. He shrugged, and held up a hand as Chrom stiffened even further. "I know. Bad memories. But we have a fart's chance in the wind without them."

"I'm not happy about it either. Their new king is decidedly Grimleal, and only a fool would trust them." It took everything I had to keep my words even. "However, we _do_ need those ships if we're taking the fight to them. Otherwise, we're setting up in Ferox for a largely defensive battle, and it will be a battle we lose. We're just not prepared."

"Right, if we're to stand a chance, we need to take out most of their prized cavalry in unfavorable terrain, the sea," Robin added. He sensed my unease and snuck his hand down to squeeze mine reassuringly. "The only other tactic I can think of is to sacrifice the westernmost cities of Ferox to prepare a strong defensive line. But I'd rather not do that."

"…I understand," Chrom whispered. He muttered something under his breath before gesturing to a guard. "Tell Frederick to meet me in my office in a couple of hours." The guard saluted and disappeared out the door. "I'll send the message. Hopefully, if I do it, they'll really feel how dire things are."

"Perhaps." Robin shrugged. "Either way, we're closer and it'll take us less time to mobilize our forces. We can handle Plegia."

"Thank you," Flavia murmured. She glanced at Chrom and me. "So, will you two be marching with us?"

"I am," Chrom confirmed. "My people seem to expect me to lead from the front, so I'll fight with you. As for Kestrel…" He glanced at me, and I grimaced. "She and I are still debating?"

"We've been focusing more on how to ensure the country remains safe in our absence," I explained, trying to not sigh. There were pros and cons to my staying or leaving, and we were both trying to figure out which would be better, for us and our home. "With an emphasis on our children. We're definitely moving them to the Eastern Palace, where Emm was going to take shelter before… well…"

"In that regard, the oaf and I are lucky," Flavia murmured. She smiled sympathetically, while Basilio rolled his eyes. "Feroxi don't follow a Khan who won't fight."

"We already have things set up in case of a battle, so it's an easy transition," Basilio added. He shrugged and clapped Chrom across the shoulder, hard enough to make him stumble. "But that's enough serious talk. We won't mobilize without Plegia's response, right? Why not let Flavia and I help with planning those defenses? We've some Feroxi who definitely won't mind the guard duty."

"In that case, you two can follow me," Robin happily told them. He even smiled, and it was his real smile. "I can also just go ahead and show you to your rooms while we're at it."

Robin quickly and efficiently got Flavia and Basilio out of the room, leaving Chrom and I in the throne room. We shared a smile, knowing just why the conversation suddenly ended abruptly. They'd all sensed how uncomfortable the two of us were with the topic.

"We'll decide after we get confirmation that Plegia will help," I whispered, deciding it was best to just wait a little longer. It was a hard decision, really. I didn't want to stay and wait, because my family and friends were fighting. I didn't want to leave and fight, because my girls were here and the country needed ruling. "I am a bit grumpy that you're not having to choose."

"I'm honestly not sure if that's better," he replied softly. He pulled me into a hug. "I'm not in a hurry to leave Lucina and Victoria, and I am worried about everything here. Ylisse is still very fragile."

"True. I think I'm just grumpy that it was just assumed that 'of course' you'd leave to go fight." I debated before leaning up to kiss him. "Well, whatever. I think you and I need to just not think of the war or anything for… oh… the rest of the day?" I smirked at him, waiting for him to catch my meaning. When he did, he grinned. "I have no more appointments for the day, truthfully, so what do you say to clearing your schedule after sending off that message?"

His answer was 'yes', of course. We both needed the break.

* * *

 _Notes on Valm:_

 _Once called 'Valentia', it was ruled by sibling gods: Mila, the Earth Mother, and Duma, the War Father. According to the stories, both did their best by humans, but unfortunately, their different way of thinking simply led to chaos for the humans they loved, and so, they let themselves die to save their children._

 _After the gods were killed, it was ruled by Saint-King Alm, though he's also called 'Emperor' depending on the story, and Empress Celica, and the two led the country into its new age, where the blessings of the gods were distant. After the Schism, and Grima, it was renamed 'Valm' and slowly separated into several different nations._

 _Each country has a very unique culture and language, though they of course all speak Valmese and Trade Tongue as well. Most worship Naga, like Ylisse, but they also continue to worship Mother Mila and Father Duma._

* * *

Author's note: So, yeah, I figured this fit Excellus and that it provides a better reason why not only Chrom would go to war, but why his country and people would let him. Yes, Kestrel is very unimpressed with Walhart's reputation. Babies tend to master grasping between 3 and 4 months old, and often their first laugh is by 4 months.

Next Chapter – Of Sacred Blood


	29. Chapter 14) Of Sacred Blood

Chapter 14) Of Sacred Blood

* * *

 _Well, we're going to war, it seems. We cannot answer the assassination attempt with anything else. Our people won't allow it. However, neither Ferox nor Ylisse have warships, so we must negotiate with Plegia. They named 'Carrion Isle' as the place of negotiation, a location with many, many sharp cliffs, among other dangers. They say Carrion Isle once held a sanctuary crafted by the dragons of old to protect important treasures, but it was defiled by Grima long ago._

 _I do not like the symbolism, and beg Frederick to keep an extra close eye on Chrom and Robin. I had been invited to the negotiations, as Ylisse's queen, but at Chrom's request, I remained behind to shore up the defenses on the capital and the Eastern Palace, as well as see Lucina and Victoria safely to the latter. I fret and worry, but the guards have been checked by Frederick, thrice, and Cordelia, four times. Things will be fine. Things will be…_

 _Gods, there's so much that can go wrong. So much._

* * *

Sometimes, I wondered where everyone's sense was. Why did they set up camp between two cliffs? Why? That was just begging for an ambush.

"I'm surprised Frederick let them get away with this," I muttered as I looked down at the camp. I flew with Sumia, so that Cordelia had full reign of her lance without having to worry about me. "Though it does look like there's plenty of sentries…"

"I'm sure it's fine," Sumia reassured. She smiled at me over her shoulder. "You're just grumpy because you miss your daughters."

"They were so sad when I left!" I winced, remembering. Somehow, they'd sensed that I wouldn't see them for a while, and they had clung and clung. We were actually delayed because I couldn't get them to let go. "Ugh… stupid war."

"Have you decided if you're marching yet?"

"No, not yet." There were many debates, both for and against. Both politically and personally. It was a bit of a mess, really. "Ah, looks like Maribelle is waving us down." I'd sent her ahead, to let the others know we'd be there shortly.

"Yep!" Sumia giggled. "Hang on!"

"No, I think I'll let go while we're diving at top speeds above a very large drop."

Her laughter trailed after us like leaves on the wind as we all descended into camp. To my intense amusement, Libra was the first one to greet us, and he barely gave Sumia and me a proper greeting before going to Cordelia. Sumia and I greeted the others, checking that everyone was okay, and soon learned that despite the delay, the three of us had still arrived prior to negotiations ending.

"All three are still with King Fauder?" I asked Olivia, walking through the camp with her. Sumia had insisted on tending to the pegasi, so that Cordelia and Libra could have their alone time, and I'd reassured Maribelle that I would be just fine and she should spend time with Lissa. "How long?"

"Today? Since this morning," Olivia explained. She shyly linked arms with me and I grinned in return. "It's been dawn to evening for the past three days."

"Difficult convincing them?"

"No, from my understanding it's more of dealing with the logistics. They're willing to help, though I don't know how much." She made a face. "I try to ask Robin when he gets back, but he's always just so exhausted."

"So, nothing more than cuddling."

"…W-well, maybe a little more?" Her voice was squeaky and her face went red, and I laughed and laughed. "Oh, the Hierophant is also participating in the negotiations. Whatever that is?"

"The Hierophant is the leader of the Grimleal." I wondered briefly who the new one was. My father had been the old one, after all. "What's their name?"

"His name is Hawk, apparently."

"Hawk, huh?" I didn't know that one, but then again, that wasn't much of a surprise. With my father dead, they would've had to pick a Hierophant not of Grima's blood for the very first time, and that meant choosing from the higher ups that I'd had little to no contact with. "Ha, he's named for a bird like Robin and me. That's rather funny."

"Isn't it?" Olivia giggled, and then she gasped. "Oh, look!" She pointed down the way, and there was Chrom, Robin, and Frederick walking down the path. "They're back early today."

"Then shall we greet them or hide to surprise them later?" I grinned and she hummed thoughtfully before nodding towards them. "Greeting then."

Olivia and I continued walking down the path and waved as soon as the boys spotted us. Chrom immediately abandoned any pretense of dignity to run right for me and scoop me up in a hug, laughing. I laughed too and kissed him as soon as he let me stand on my own feet. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Robin kiss Olivia on the cheek, and the two talk softly. I also saw that Robin was paler than normal, and there was a distracted air to him that he desperately tried to hide.

"Well, I see that Frederick has kept you both safe, as expected," I finally said. I smiled warmly at Frederick, who had politely averted his eyes as we couples greeted each other. "Frederick, Sumia was tending to the pegasi. I insist you go greet your wife. I can take over nagging the two of them for now."

"I leave them in your capable hands, my queen," Frederick replied instantly. Both Chrom and Robin made faces, and Olivia continued giggling. "Thank you. The pegasi, you said?"

"Yes, she was tending to Cordelia's too, so that Cordelia and Libra could catch up." I darted behind him and playfully began nudging him down the main path of the camp. "Go on, go on!"

"Consider it an order even, Frederick!" Chrom teased, grinning. "Negotiations are over, after all." Frederick threw up his hands in defeat at that, and did start down the path. As quickly as he could, without outright running or jogging. "I love that he's so happy."

"Indeed," I agreed, stepping to his side again. I glanced at Robin and Olivia again, noticing they were still talking, so I focused fully on him. "Well, my love, you said negotiations are over. How much will they give us?"

"They can't give us troops, since their army is still recovering, but they'll fund the entire expedition. They'll also give us 800 warships and 200 transports."

"That's… most of their assets." I frowned, closing my eyes as I thought about what little I knew. Considering the costs and everything... "A bit odd, that. I would've thought they'd keep a few back for either potential reinforcements or to make sure they had access to sea trade." It was like they were purposely draining their own country, like how you bled an animal out while skinning it. Then again, I didn't know for a fact how much of anything they had. "Very odd."

"King Fauder says it's to make up for not being able to give soldiers. He hopes it shows that they are willing to trust us, and to rebuild the bond between our countries."

"Mmm… perhaps I'm jumping at shadows, then." I opened my eyes again, and smiled wryly. "But do remember what I said about only a fool trusts one of the Grimleal."

"We're going to be checking there's no traps or hidden passengers, and most of the ships will be helmed by Feroxi." He ran a hand through my hair, smiling softly. "Don't fret. I do listen to your warnings. It's one of the reasons why I married you, Kes."

"One of them?"

"Yes." He leaned a little closer, smile growing. "Shall I tell you the rest?"

"Tempting, but you still have work to do, do you not?" I smirked and he made a face. "We may make up for lost time later, Chrom. You still need to let everyone know that we'll be leaving… tomorrow?"

"Yeah, tomorrow. We won't be able to break camp and make it off this isle prior to night falling." Chrom sighed and leaned down to kiss my cheek. "Fine, fine. I'll be good."

"I figured." I stepped away and turned to Robin and Olivia, who were still conversing quietly. "Brother, sister, there is work to be done still."

"So cruel, sister mine," Robin instantly replied. Olivia went red at the 'sister' part of my sentence. It almost distracted me from how Robin's demeanor hadn't improved much. Something was bothering him. "But true, I suppose. Let's get to that."

"Let's," I agreed. However, as Olivia and Chrom led the way down the path, I slowed my steps and grabbed Robin's arm. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"It's nothing important." Still, Robin's face grew serious. "Though, Kestrel, do I have a twin?"

"Did you get amnesia again?" I made my voice as dry as possible, and it took him a moment to realize just why that was. When he did, he facepalmed. "Seriously? Yes, you do. _We're_ twins."

"Give me a break; I haven't gotten a lot of sleep."

"Clearly, if you're asking your twin sister whether or not you have a twin."

"I meant another twin."

"That's a triplet. And no. Mother had only two children. Us." I sighed, shaking my head. "While I can't deny the possibility of us having half-siblings thanks to our father, I'm your only twin."

"Oh. Okay." He frowned and glanced to the ground. "Sorry for the weird question."

"Am I going to get an explanation?"

"Hmm? Oh, it's nothing important." He looked up and smiled. "I should work on strategies! Naval ones are new territory."

"I recommend talking to Virion for help." I frowned, though, and kept on frowning even as he gave me a hug and walked away. I knew there was more to this. I absolutely knew there was more to that question.

I'd have to try and bully it out of Chrom or Frederick. Clearly, Robin was going to try and work through it all on his own. Again. Gods damn it.

* * *

Unfortunately, both Chrom and Frederick proved tightlipped in the limited time I had to interrogate them. The rest of the day was spent catching up with others in the group, setting patrols and sentries, making plans for travel tomorrow, and strategizing the coming battles on sea and foreign lands. After that, it was dinner, typical nighttime antics, and then we all settled in for the night.

However, at some point, I had a horrific nightmare where a creature with too many dark red eyes and hideous laughter pinned me down and devoured me limb by limb. I woke up gasping, and pushed myself up, covering my face with my hands as I tried to decide if I wanted to scream, throw up, sob, or just curl into a ball. I even had to check my limbs, just to make sure there were no teeth marks. But there was nothing. Absolutely nothing. Because it was simply a nightmare. So, I knew I should just try to go back to sleep. But I couldn't. The nightmare dug deep into my mind and left me with a bad feeling I just could not shake.

Sighing, I pushed the covers back and swung my legs over the side to get out. As soon as I tried, though, Chrom's arms snaked around my waist and pulled me back under the blankets to hug me tightly. He nuzzled my neck and kissed my cheek and shoulder, and after a moment of being amused, I rolled over to look at him.

"Did I wake you?" I asked, reaching up to touch his cheek. He smiled softly at me, wide awake. Too much so for someone just waking up. "I did, didn't I?"

"You were tossing," he confirmed, pulling me closer. "Nightmare?"

"Yeah." I made to push myself out of bed, but he tightened his hug on me. "My love, I would like to explore the camp."

"It's cold, and you're warm." He kissed my forehead and cheek. "And I've missed you dearly these past few days."

"As I have missed you, but you're as demanding as our daughters sometimes."

"Hey, they get it honest?" He grinned and I rolled my eyes. "I'm sure there's others on patrol, you know. Frederick the Wary was in charge of it."

"So it will be perfectly safe letting me go?" I smirked and he sighed. "Okay, more seriously, I have a bad feeling and Robin has been off all day due to _whatever_ you're hiding from me."

"I want to talk with him about it first."

"Fine, fine." Annoyed again, I pushed myself up and rolled out of bed to get dressed. "Well, I'm going to see if _someone_ is going to tell me what's going on."

"Kes…" He took my hand and tugged me back. "I'm not-" I gave him a look and he sighed again. "No, you're right. I should just go ahead and tell you. He did ask that I wouldn't, though."

"Because clearly Robin is the authority on his own health."

"You're not much better, Kes." He paused to give me a serious look and I had enough shame to look away. "I love you, but how many times have we argued because you dislike yourself?"

"…A lot." Honestly, most of our 'arguments' more or less sparked because of my low self-esteem.

"Precisely." He leaned in and kissed me gently. "That said, this is probably something you should know, and I don't think it's that big of a deal. I think his problem is less what happened and more that he can't remember anything about his past."

"That would make sense. So?"

"We met Hierophant Hawk and… well…" Chrom shrugged. "He looked a lot like Robin. Honestly, it's almost an exact copy, except he appears to be a bit older and he was definitely more scarred, especially around the neck."

"Is that it?" I sighed heavily and facepalmed. "Gods, he could've just said, 'hey, I saw someone who looked like me' instead of being like 'do I have a twin?. Gods, damn it, I thought it was worse to rattle him like that."

"He seriously asked you that?"

"Yes." I looked at him, exasperated. "Well, as I told him, it's possible we have half-siblings. Did this Hawk have white hair too?"

"Yep."

"Yeah, he might be a half-sibling then, another potential sacrifice for Grima." My heart ached at the thought. He likely had been discarded when Robin and I were born. "Ah, whatever. It's not a thing to hide. Stupid brother, and sillier husband."

"I'm sorry?" He leaned forward and kissed me sweetly. "I am very sorry." He kissed me again, hands ghosting over my side. My mind was going a little numb. "How can I make it up to you?"

"By letting me do that look around I wanted?" I leaned away to smile and he sulked. "We can kiss and make-up after I check that bad feeling of mine."

"Okay, okay." He kissed my nose and I squeaked. "Here, I'll do a patrol too, just in case."

"Now that's a much better apology." I watched him get out of bed and begin to get dressed. "I love you, Chrom."

"And I love you, Kes." He smiled at me. "Relax. Things aren't necessarily as bad as you fear."

"That doesn't mean they're not necessarily as good as you hope." I winced at the instant retort. "No, you're right. I'm sorry. I'm still too used to everything falling apart."

"Well, we won't." He paused in dressing to sit back down on the bed and take my hand to press it against his chest, right over his heart. My fingers twitched as I felt the scar over it, the last remnant of the wound he'd taken to protect Robin, just as he'd promised me. "My heart is yours, forever and always, and I will keep you safe. I pro-"

"Chrom, you have a scar right here showing how close you came to leaving me, you know." I moved closer and pulled our hands down so that I could kiss it. His breath caught. "I'm quite used to people dying to protect Robin and me. You Shepherds are literally the first to try and protect us, and not die in the attempt."

"Kes…"

"Don't promise to protect me. Don't promise to save the world or anything. Just promise that you won't leave me." I smiled up at him, feeling tearful suddenly. "You promise me that, and you'll keep your word, because you hold all these crazy people together anyway."

"You…" Chrom suddenly shifted and pinned me to the cot, kissing me fiercely. "Yes. I'll promise that. And will you promise to not leave me?"

"Yes. I'll promise that." I kissed him back, pulling him closer, but I smiled ruefully when we parted to breath. "Much as I would love to continue where this is going, I did say we'd kiss and make up _later_."

"And I just agreed to patrol to help ease that bad feeling you had." He dipped his head to kiss my collarbone, but rolled off of me. "Fine, fine, let's go do that. I'd rather not have distractions."

"Yeah, you can't exactly lock a tent." Another thought occurred to me. "Also, sound travels. I want you all to myself."

"I already am, but I agree. If only because I don't want to deal with the smirks."

Both of us finally got dressed, though with a little more teasing and joking, and then went out to wander the camp. By unspoken agreement, we both went different ways, and my cheer faded as I wandered the paths. Everything was quiet, with the occasional murmuring of the sentries checking in with each other. Most were asleep, like sane people, and the more I walked, the more I became convinced that I was just being paranoid. On edge due to being in Plegia, and near Grimleal. Then I felt a spike of dark magic and decided that no, it was just my instincts being right as always.

I ran as fast as I could, a hand dropping for my sword as I hunted for the source of that dark magic. I found it on the edge of camp, with dark shadows clawing into Robin's face and neck. I couldn't see the caster. Their back was towards me, and there was a flicker to them, hinting they were only some sort of projection. A powerful sorcerer, but simple magic nonetheless.

"Evanescet, exspiravit!" I snapped, gesturing sharply. Magic flickered around my fingertips and the person winced and disappeared, fading into nothing. The clawing shadows faded with them, thank everything. "Robin!"

"Kestrel?" he replied, coughing weakly. His voice shook and he still clutched his head as he straightened. "What are you…?"

"Forget that! Are you okay?" I grasped his face, wincing at how clammy he felt. An old memory, more vague fear than anything, bubbled up. Being woken up during the night by shadowy people. Watching them drag a screaming Robin out of our bed. Chasing after them and being held down as they channeled magic through him, unable to do anything but watch as he screamed and screamed until tore his own throat and coughed out blood. Mother had come to the rescue. Mother had stopped them, and bundled us into her room. I had held onto him tightly and he cried. He cried and cried, in horrible pain, but he clung to me too. Mother had taken us away after that. Mother had saved us after that. "Robin!?"

"I'm fine." He said the words easily, but his voice still shook. "I'm fine."

"Like hell you are!" Tears pricked my eyes and I hugged him tightly. "Damn it, Robin. I'm your sister. You don't have to hide from me, of all people."

"I really am-" He closed his eyes. "Gods, why do I bother? You read me as easily as I read you."

"We've spent too many years having only each other to depend on."

"Sorry. Give me a moment."

"You can have all the moments in the world, so long as you eventually tell me."

"Right…" He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down. "I saw King Fauder. He said…" His voice faltered. "He said that I was his son?"

"Impossible. Our father is dead. I killed him. He's very dead. I know we get Risen nowadays, but you can't bring the dead back to life."

"You sure he died?"

"Very. You know when Emmeryn was almost assassinated? I fell out the window with the leader? That was him."

"Oh. Yeah, I saw that body. He's definitely dead." He sighed and leaned forward to rest his head on my shoulder. "Then what the hell is their plan?"

"Grimleal. This is why I really didn't want you coming here. I don't like being here either." I hugged him tightly, trying not to shake. If I hadn't woken up… "I'm sorry."

"Not your fault." He leaned a little more on me. "Tired."

"See? You should've been cuddling with Olivia instead of wandering about the camp."

"Couldn't sleep. Thought a walk would help my mind calm down."

"Stay within camp, next time."

"Okay."

"Queen Kestrel! Lord Robin!" Frederick ran up then, buckling on his gauntlets. "There you are," he breathed, smiling in relief. Robin and I stepped away from each other, frowning. "Risen have ambushed us, so please, return to the camp proper."

"Risen have what?" I asked, startled. "Really?"

"We have sentries," Robin pointed out, his frown deepening. "Risen shouldn't be able to…" He trailed off and glanced at me. "Oh, but maybe…"

I caught the thought and grimaced. "Oh, hell, you're probably right." I returned my attention to Frederick, and smiled slightly. "We'll explain later, when we're not in the middle of an ambush. Can you let Chrom know we'll be right there?"

"Of course," Frederick reassured. He hesitated briefly, looking at us worriedly, but then he bowed. "Please hurry."

"We will," Robin replied. He waited for Frederick to leave before looking to me. "So, sister?"

"Risen to hide your disappearance," I growled. "It's just like them." I took his hand and squeezed it. "Do not go anywhere alone, Robin. I will do the same. Promise."

"Then I shall promise too." He squeezed my hand back. "Should we tell them?"

"Later. Right now, we've a battle."

"Right."

* * *

"Where did these bodies even come from?" I growled, cutting down another Risen. I didn't expect an answer. Just as I had last battle, I went around guarding various long-ranged attackers, though this time, I stuck near Virion the whole battle. And Virion was too busy aiming to reply to anything I said. "Did they import them or something?" It was a possibility that this many people had died, but all the Risen had skin and all of it intact. Honestly, I wondered why they didn't smell worse. I'd never known a corpse to smell good.

The last of this ground of Risen charged. I kicked their leg out from under them and stabbed them through the chest, knocking them to the ground. Unfortunately, though, the whole 'already dead' thing meant things that normally killed humans didn't necessarily kill a Risen. It was pinned to the ground, flailing and screeching, still trying to attack me. Sighing, I tried to jerk my sword out, but found it was actually wedged deep into the ground. I resisted the urge to facepalm or groan or something, pulled out my dagger and knelt down to just cut the head off and free my sword. The disappearing body thing had its uses. Sometimes.

I gripped the thing's chin and tilted it up so that I had a better angle. I paused, however, when I noticed that my fingers actually slipped under the 'face' and I studied the Risen for the first time to see that the face was actually a mask. Frowning, I wedged my dagger, ignoring how it continued how it tried to claw me. With a bit of wiggling, I managed to pry the mask off, gagging at the overwhelming smell of rot and the sound of ripping flesh.

I jerked back when tiny insects, ones I had never seen before, started crawling out from under the mask. I barely caught a glimpse of them, just long enough to notice it was shelled. Then they faded into smoke, along with the Risen itself. My skin crawled and I instantly checked to make sure none of those bugs were on me. They weren't, thank all that is holy and good, but I couldn't help but stare at the ground. What were those things? Was that a coincidence, or was it…?

"Dearest Kestrel, I do believe you have gone as pale as a ghost." Virion crouched down next to me, a reassuring hand on my back. "What ails you?" he asked, frowning worriedly. "It is not like you to freeze during battle."

"Just… saw something a little creepy with the Risen," I replied. My voice was breathy and squeaky, but I did manage a smile. "They're infested with insects."

"Well, they _are_ dead. I'm gladdened we don't see maggots."

"Oh, ugh, that's true." I relaxed, steadying at the reminder. It wasn't odd at all that there were bugs in the Risen. It wasn't odd that it was an insect I didn't recognize. The panic must've just been because I hadn't expected it. "Sorry. I'm ridiculous."

"Well, I can't say it was a fun thing to see." He offered me his hand and helped me stand up. "Seems like our area is clear for now, though we do have a… oh, goodness what is the word for a group of crows again?"

"Murder. A murder of crows. Or, you know, what most people use: flock."

"That's not dramatic enough, considering we have a group of them harrying the Risen." He gestured below and, to my intense amusement and disbelief, he was right. There were, in fact, a bunch of crows. "Lovely birds, really, though dreary."

"I love them, though I'm particularly attached to ravens."

"They are beauteous birds, very true." He smiled. "Truthfully, I expected your favorite to be a 'kestrel', though. Or a 'robin'."

"My mother's name was Raven." I grinned as he choked on a laugh. "Yeah, I know. Bird theme. My father was the odd one out." And he was the only one without morals, so go figure. "Oh, the crows are swirling around someone?" I peered down, frowning, and barely caught sight of white hair and Plegian clothing. "Something tells me we picked up yet another colorful person for our army."

"My, my! At this rate, we shall dazzle the world like a rainbow!" Virion smiled brightly and I had to laugh. "There's a smile. And _there_ is delightful Cherche!"

"Queen Kestrel, if he's aggravating you, simply let me know," Cherche used as her greeting, landing Minerva in front of us. She didn't even bother looking at Virion. "I can feed him to Minerva, if need be."

"Alack, alay! To be so accused!" Virion gasped. He stumbled back, clutching his chest like he'd been stabbed. During a play, of course. "Then again, I have so missed that wit and snicker."

"Honestly, Virion, some days…" Cherche sighed, shaking her head. Minerva actually rolled her eyes, equally exasperated. "The numbers are thinning. A shame, since they're so cute." She hummed a little in thought, and I shot Virion a 'what the hell' look. Virion simply smiled and shrugged, apparently long used to it. "Their masks especially…"

"You may endeavor to recreate it later. What brings you and fierce Minerva here, Cherche?" Virion's smile softened as he looked up at her. "I know I promised Minerva a treat, but I also told her it would have to wait until we were off the Isle."

"She's eagerly anticipating it." Cherche laughed, and softened too. "Mostly just checking in. As I said, the numbers are thinning, so we'll likely be done soon. I believe King Chrom and Duke Robin have killed the leader and-"

A scream. A shout. A flurry of movement. It took several blinks to figure out what all happened. The last of the Risen evaporated into smoke. In the calm immediately after, someone, a human, tried to kill Chrom, striking from behind. Another person, long blue hair and a gold diadem hinted Marth of all people, blocked the attack. Robin electrocuted the assassin, and yelled for Gaius to search the body. Everyone panicked and began patrolling again to make sure that there were no more assassins hiding.

I worked on coordinating the patrols, with Cordelia keeping close to me at all times. Gathering information, checking that our perimeter was secured, working with Frederick to get a new patrol schedule, checking that none of our supplies had been tampered with… it took a while to wonder why I was the only one dealing with all of this, and that's when I learned that Chrom and Robin, in their _infinite wisdom_ , decided to walk off, without telling anyone where they were going. Thankfully, Sumia caught sight of them as they headed for the river, but gods above, these two were going to be the death of me!

"There you two are!" I sanpped as soon as I found them, apparently speaking with Marth. Both Chrom and Robin jumped and whirled, while Marth looked a little panicked. "I can't believe the both of you! We got ambushed by Risen, had an assassin appear out of nowhere, and you both just go 'hey, why don't we leave the camp without placing word and leave the whole checking everything and ensuring we are all safe to the others'?!"

"Ah… hi, Kes?" Chrom squeaked. He and Robin shared scared looks, and he laughed awkwardly when I stomped right up to him to glare, focusing on him first. "I… um…"

"Or, I don't know, maybe, just maybe, reassure your _wife_ , who you almost broke a promise to; your _sister_ , who is still recovering from Emmeryn's death; and your _bodyguard_ , who is kicking himself for not seeing that assassin sooner? Or the rest of the Shepherds that you're friends with and lead?"

"Er…"

"And you!" I whirled on Robin and he took a step back, hands up in surrender. "It didn't occur to you that your fiancé might need a little reassurance, since that assassin had appeared pretty close to you? Not to mention your own sister, who was very panicked by the way, and all of _your_ friends among the Shepherds? Seriously? Seriously?!" To my frustration, I felt tears prick my eyes. "Of all the idiotic things for you two to do!"

"I'm sorry!" Marth blurted. I turned my attention to her and she fidgeted before smiling. There was something strangely familiar about the smile. "I… um… I asked to talk in private, and I…"

"Oh, Marth, I'm not mad at you at all," I reassured. I took a deep breath and made myself relax. "If anything, I should thank you for saving my husband. I'm sure whatever you had to talk about was important enough for them to completely forget to just leave a little, small message."

"To be fair, they were distracted?"

"To be fair, they're both leaders." I sighed, and shook my head. Chrom and Robin shared a sheepish look, and I got the feeling there would be apology gifts later. "Though, if you do wish for a scolding, it is that you took them away so quickly, potentially to an area that wasn't secured. Not to mention the confusion of what you're doing here in the first place?" I peered at her curiously, trying to read an answer from her expression. Then I stared, because there was something familiar about her face, and not just because I had seen her before. "You…"

"I-is something wrong?" Marth flushed and bowed her head. "Um…"

"Oh, sorry." I laughed sheepishly, resisting the urge to hit myself for my silliness. "It's just… I was reminded of one of my daughters suddenly. Lucina, my elder one. Your smiles are similar, though she's still a baby."

"Th-that's…!" Marth's eyes suddenly welled up with tears. "Ah…"

"Huh? Oh, right, you mentioned you mother had died. I'm sorry."

"No, that's not… I mean…"

"Never underestimate a mother, apparently," Robin noted. He smiled slightly, incredulous. "Holy wow."

"Robin, it's not nice to tease your sister when she just hurt someone's feelings," I retorted, scowling. "Particularly when she is already mad at you." I softened as I noticed Marth was outright crying and I reached over to wipe away the tears. I noticed now traces of other tears, hinting she'd been crying earlier, probably before I got here. "Ah, I'm truly sorry. Why don't you come to camp for tea and…" I trailed off as I got a good look at her eyes for the very first time. There, in her left eye… was the Mark of the Exalt. "That mark…" I frowned, confused, and Marth just nodded, still crying. "That's… Lucina?"

"Mother!" Marth… no, _Lucina_ threw herself at me, sobbing into my chest. I wrapped her up in a hug automatically, even as I wondered what the hell was going on. "I missed you so much!" she sobbed, clinging to me. "So, so much!"

"Easy, easy, I'm not going anywhere." I rubbed her back and made some soothing noises before glaring at both Chrom and Robin. Both looked ready to laugh. "You two. Explain. Now. I want to know how I left a baby Lucina in the Eastern Palace, and have a crying adult Lucina in my arms right now."

"N-no, I can explain." Lucina hiccupped and rubbed at her face. I used my sleeve to wipe away the tears she missed, and found a handkerchief in my pocket she could use to blow her nose. "Thank you, Mother. Er… my lady?"

"I'm your mother, so call me whatever you want."

"Mother, then." She smiled slightly, shyly, before it all faded for a stoic look. Well, as stoic as someone could look immediately after bawling. "And they're fine. Your Lucina and Victoria are safe and sound. I'm simply from another time, a time that is yet to be."

"You came… from the future?" I frowned, because of how ridiculous that sounded, but then I remembered something Mother once said. "Oh, wait, I remember Mother mentioning that one of the ways Naga was able to help the First Exalt save the world from Grima was because she was able to manipulate time. I think. I was very little when she mentioned it, but it was a lesson on how curses could change one's perception of time."

"That's… yes! Yes, Naga was the one who…!" Lucina smiled brightly. Chrom and Robin gave me weird looks. "Ah, I'm glad you know. You were the one who first told me that story, but I wasn't sure when you learned it."

"Huh. I wonder why my future self told you at all." I gave Chrom and Robin a rather smug look. "This is why you two tell me things."

"Wait, they tried to hide things from you?" Lucina frowned. "But you always find out anyway."

"They haven't learned that yet."

"Oh." Lucina's frown softened instantly. "Ah, that's so strange to me. It always seemed like you two told each other everything. I remember you two as always being close, the subject of songs depicting happy marriages."

"Lucina, you make Kes and I sound like a couple of fawning lovebirds," Chrom grumbled. His face went horribly red. "That's just…"

"Nope, I remember it clearly. You two were always together."

"I…" Chrom went redder and redder, with Lucina gently teasing. I, still smug, skipped over to Robin's side and nudged him. He rolled his eyes and I grinned.

"Going to point out that you keep things quiet," Robin grumbled, crossing his arms. Instantly, my smugness faded and I winced, looking away. "That… was mean. I'm sorry."

"Well, you're not wrong," I whispered. I still hadn't managed to talk about being a Vessel. Every time I tried, the words choked me. "I…"

"No, it wasn't fair. You have mentioned, time and again, that our past was horrible. Of course you can't talk about things."

"It's things you deserve to know, and I'm just a coward."

"Absolutely not." Robin pulled me into a one-armed hug. "I don't need to know."

"You wouldn't say that if you knew what it was."

"I think you've told me enough. I know about our bloodline thing."

"But…"

"Okay, okay, enough, enough!" Chrom half-begged. His face was redder than a tomato, and Lucina giggling, muffling the sound with the handkerchief. "We're off topic. Lucina, you were telling us about why you were here before a rightfully angry Kes, who I love very much, arrived?"

"Smooth, Chrom," Robin laughed. I managed to smile. "But yes, Lucina, why would you come to the past? That seems dangerous."

"It was," Lucina confirmed. Her cheer faded entirely and a haunted look appeared in her eyes. I winced when I saw it, recognizing the look of someone so traumatized that they no longer knew what to think. "My time… it's dead. Or going to be soon."

"Really?" Robin frowned. Chrom looked skeptical. I had a sudden horrible feeling. "What happened to cause that?"

"The fell dragon, Grima, was resurrected." She said the words calmly, but I felt like I'd been punched straight in the gut. I knew what that meant. I more than knew what that really meant. "His roar is a death knell for man, a scream that silences all hope…"

"And we let you go to the past to fix it?"

"Well, you're dead, Uncle Robin. Everyone is." Lucina looked down and clutched the handkerchief. Chrom, Robin, and I exchanged horrified looks. "Father, Mother… Aunt Olivia… Aunt Lissa… all of the Shepherds. Most of the soldiers. Most of the civilians. We tried. We tried to save everything, but we… we lost one of the gemstones for the Awakening, and…"

"Easy, Lucina," Chrom whispered. He pulled her into a hug and she leaned into him. It didn't escape me that she shifted so that her ear was pressed against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. "I'm certain you did more than anyone had a right to ask."

"Though the news is troubling," I commented. It took everything I had to remain calm. "And honestly, everything about this is so unbelievable that I know it must be true. But Lucina?" I waited until she looked at me. "Please tell me you didn't come back alone?"

"No, I didn't," Lucina confirmed. She stepped away from Chrom and faced me. "Victoria was with me, as well as all of my friends. Who… ah…" She smiled sheepishly. "Are kids of the Shepherds? Which people are couples? I don't know when you all… um…"

"Oh, hell, this is going to be hilarious and awkward." A thought occurred to me, though, and I had to grin. I had to change the subject briefly. "Do you have cousins?"

"Ah, yes, and they made the journey with me. Though, I'm not sure if Morgan made it through or not."

"Morgan?"

"Uncle Robin and Aunt Olivia's youngest, their daughter." She frowned as Robin choked on a yelp. "Oh. Uh… you two are… um…"

"They're engaged. He's just yelping over having a kid. More than one." I giggled and Robin shot me a dirty look. "Ah, this is fun. Though, for my own sanity, do you have younger siblings? Besides Victoria."

"No, I don't. I did want a little brother, but you always smiled sadly when I asked." Lucina shrugged and I just had to laugh. "That all said, I don't know where my friends are now. We all got separated and despite looking for two years, I've not found them yet." Fear flitted across her face before she shook her head. "But I'm certain they're fine. I just have to find them."

" _We_ just have to find them." I smiled at her. "You don't think Chrom and I are going to let you wander alone again, do you?"

"Well…" She looked up at Chrom hopefully, and Chrom nodded. "I didn't want to assume."

"You're our daughter," Chrom pointed out. He sighed and shrugged. "Well, I should get back and apologize. And we should let everyone know what's going on, or will happen, to up the chances of us being prepared. And warn everyone that their kids from the future are here." Chrom and Lucina led the way back, with Lucina frantically asking who was paired with who so that she didn't accidentally reveal details. I made to follow, but Robin snagged my hand to stop me. I didn't try to struggle. I waited for him to ask whatever questions he had, and struggled to find the words I knew I needed to say.

"Kestrel," Robin whispered after a long moment. Chrom and Lucina were out of sight. "She mentioned Grima came back."

"She did," I murmured, drooping. It was the perfect lead-in, but I couldn't string the words together. I couldn't… "That's what the Grimleal want."

"You and I are of his blood."

"We are."

"Okay." He paused, clearly thinking, and I waited. "I'm going to take a guess."

"Go ahead."

"If you or I are sacrificed to Grima, does he come back?"

"That's… close enough, I think." I growled in frustration, all at myself. A simple sentence. A handful of words. But I couldn't say them. I couldn't move past that fear. "I'm sorry. I really should say, especially since we learned that, but…"

"It scares you. It shames you. Whatever I'm missing is the reason why we were chased, why we had to see so much death, and why you're so terrified of losing everything, not because you don't trust the people here, but because you're just so used to everything falling apart because of… whatever it is." He shrugged as I stared. "You're my twin sister. I adore you, and I've worked very hard to learn how to read you again."

"…Right." I smiled slightly, and leaned into his side. "And, well, it's close enough. The thing that is missing is simply… why our deaths would bring him back." Ah, if only I weren't a Vessel… if only I were 'human'… "It's not just the blood. If it was that, then our father could've served, and gladly would've."

"I see. So, there's something 'special' particularly about us." Robin nodded. "Okay, that's more than enough. But let's be certain to never go off on our own."

"Definitely." On impulse, I hugged him. "I'm sorry. Thank you for letting me be a hypocrite."

"You tell me enough, so in my eyes, you are no hypocrite. Just very scared." He hugged me back. "But we'll make it. I know we will. Whatever you fear, we deserve happiness, and we will gain it."

"Right." I leaned my head against his shoulder and tried to believe the words. "We'll try, at least." But it was so hard to believe when I was literally just told that despite Robin and I running, despite everything we did… Grima was fated to come to life. I wondered if we were just being stupid, thinking we could run away.

But running was all I knew, so I'd just keep on running, I supposed. I was the most idiotic person in the world, really.

* * *

 _Notes on Henry:_

 _Class – Dark Mage; Reclass – Thief, Barbarian_

 _A dark mage of Plegia who joins with us because he thinks he'll be able to fight more if he did. A sorcerer of great strength, and more than a little unhinged, possibly due to a life of abandonment and abuse._

 _He's slower in casting than Tharja, but he's far more accurate and durable than her. I worry she views him as a rival, but he takes it all in good humor, like everything._

 _Always laughing, joking, and making puns, but I see the deadness in his eyes. They're a coping mechanism, but I won't confront him. We all have our ways of coping, and even when he doesn't understand, he listens and obeys. That's enough, in my opinion._

* * *

Author's note: And here we go with the main underlying plot of the whole game finally. There's hints in game that more time passed in the 'original' timeline, with Emmeryn being assassinated and the war with Plegia being longer and how Lucina has memories of her father, which, as a baby, she really wouldn't. Given that, and given how there would've been more battles and different circumstances, I chose to have the Hierophant resemble Robin heavily, but look noticeably different, being older and having more scars. I also gave him the name 'Hawk' (hawks will prey upon robins) to make it a little more plausible.

Technically Lissa is there for the final scene as well, but she does just randomly show up. The 'sanctuary' mentioned for Carrion Isle is based on how Carrion Isle's general area is loosely based off the Fane of Raman from Archanea. The insects hiding under the Risen masks comes from information revealed in Shadows of Valentia.

Next Chapter – Flames on the Blue


	30. Chapter 15) Flames on the Blue

Chapter 15) Flames on the Blue

* * *

 _Everything feels strange. Plegia is helping us, we got a new recruit, and my daughter from the future appeared to inform us that Grima returned and now she's trying to fix the past to save the future or… something. Honestly, I'm in too much shock for anything but going along with things, including agreeing with Lucina's insistence that I go to Valm alongside the others._

 _The news of Grima's potential return disturbs me more than anything. It's exactly why Robin and I ran so much. To avoid that. How did it happen? What went wrong? Was it inevitable? Was it stupid to run away? I don't know. I don't know. But I smile and pretend everything is okay, because gods, I don't know how to explain any of this._

* * *

"You know; most of the Shepherds are complimenting you on how natural motherhood must be for you," Sumia observed at some point during our reading. There wasn't a lot to do while on a ship, so she and I had fun with catching up on all the books we wanted to read. "But, you're feeling off about it, aren't you?"

"You don't think Lucina has noticed, do you?" I asked, looking up to smiling bitterly. I didn't ask how she knew. For one thing, I hadn't completed a single book in the time she finished three. It was normally the other way around. "Please tell me 'no'."

"Nope, I don't think so. She just seems super happy at getting to see you again." She scooted down the bed to the chair where I sat and poked my cheek. "But I'm worried about you. Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"That was a very long day, and we found out a lot." We had, of course, told the Shepherds about Lucina being from the future, and the dark future that loomed on the horizon if we weren't careful. Mostly because Lucina had said that _other_ children were around, and it was better to give warning. "Honestly, my two options were 'accept everything' or 'deny everything' and you can't just deny a person."

"But now you're struggling to pretend you're actually comfortable with this."

"It's better than making Lucina feel like she's unwanted." I shrugged, smiling ruefully. "Even if she's bigger, she's still my daughter. I don't want her to ever feel like a burden. I don't want _anyone_ to feel like they're simply a burden."

"I suppose that's true." She still frowned worriedly at me. "You know I'm here for you, right?"

"Always."

"Okay. So long as you remember that." A knock on the door thankfully stopped the conversation. I didn't know how to respond without completely breaking down. "Come in?"

"Ah, sorry to bother…" The door clicked open to reveal, of course, Lucina. She tentatively peered inside, smiling hesitantly. "Um…" she began, looking down. "Ah, this is silly. You're busy."

Sumia and I glanced at each other, and we both smiled and shrugged. You couldn't simply reject her. You might as well beat a kitten to death. "No, Sumia and I are just reading, sweetie," I reassured. Lucina's face lit up at that. "Come here. What sort of books do you like reading?"

"Honestly, I haven't read much since I was little." Lucina walked inside and immediately sat down at my feet, ignoring the space on the bed or the other chair in the room. "That weren't tactical manuals or anything, I mean. I'm no strategist, that was Severa, Laurent, and Morgans's job, but I felt I needed to know."

"Well, let's see if we can find you a book you'd enjoy." I glanced at the books Sumia and I had and both she and I agreed in a second that Lucina likely would be more confused by the Ribald tales than anything. "Sumia?"

"I think between my personal library and yours, we can get something," Sumia laughed, marking her place in her book and standing up. She clapped her hands together as a thought occurred to her. "Oh, what about one of your poetry books?"

"That'll be good," I agreed, mostly because Lucina perked up at the mention. "They should be in the bag in the back corner."

"I'll be right back!" Sumia skipped out of the room, like she hadn't just been worried about me.

However, that did mean I was now alone with Lucina, and I still had no idea how to react. Desperately, I tried to think of what my own mother did with me, and a vague memory dragged itself out. "Would you like me to brush your hair?" I asked her. Thankfully, Sumia and I had brought one here, thinking we might play with each other's hair when we got bored with reading.

"Really?!" Lucina's eyes sparkled. "Yes, please!" she agreed, smiling brightly. Then she flushed and looked down. "Um… I mean…"

"Here, turn around and rest against my legs, then." I had to get up briefly to actually find the brush, but when I sat back down, she was sitting right at my feet and let me brush her hair. I almost winced at how ragged it felt, split-ends showing a lot of wear and tear. I could tell where the layers still were, though she was trying to let it grow back to normal. There were a lot of tangles, like she hadn't brushed it in a long while. "We might need to trim your hair, when we get a chance."

"Okay." Despite the gentle 'scolding', she was smiling so softly. "This is so nostalgic. You used to brush my hair all the time. Mine and Victoria's and… well, you always did this."

"My mother used to brush my hair." I supposed my future-self had associated it with 'caring for a daughter' too. But the reminder of my future-self made me think of a question I had for a while. "Lucina?"

"Yes?"

"Why did you insist that I come along?"

"Oh. Right." She coughed, embarrassed. She actually flushed all the way to her ears. "I suppose I shouldn't have. I'm sure Ylisse could've used you."

"We have things managed well-enough." I continued brushing her hair, removing her diadem to have better access to her hair. "But, I am curious."

"Right…" She fell silent for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "Growing up, I always heard that if you had been there, Father wouldn't have died."

"…Really, now?" That sounded… well, I was skeptical.

"I'm sure it was an exaggeration, nowadays, but my mind latched onto it. 'If Mother had been there, Father would still be here'." She sighed gustily. "So, when I realized you might not come along…"

"You panicked."

"Yes. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. We all panic." I couldn't blame her for it. Even now, despite things being safe, she twitched at every little noise. I recognized that hyper-awareness. I used to be that way too. "May I ask another question?"

"Of course."

"How did Chrom die?"

"Ah…" She fell silent again. "Well, I don't know the details. Honestly, all I know if that he was betrayed, and that his body couldn't be recovered. Uncle Robin disappeared the same day." She paused for a split-second, but from here, I couldn't see her expression. "Frederick returned with the bloody Falchion. You accepted it from him with quiet dignity. But you never smiled much after that. You took over ruling, becoming the Queen-Regent for me, and your smile was forever darkened."

"I see." That more or less confirmed what I already figured. I outlived Chrom in her future. I had to rule alone. But, it was worse than I thought. My future-self… she had lost Robin at the same time. "We'll do what we can, Lucina."

"Yes, we will." She leaned against my legs suddenly and tilted her head up to look at me with a smile. "I know we will. Though, I hope we can do it without too many sacrifices. I've seen too many sacrifice themselves."

"We'll see." I hesitated before leaning down and kissing her forehead. She stared at me for a moment before smiling brightly. "Now, straighten up. I'm not done brushing your hair."

"Okay!" She giggled, doing as I asked. "Mother?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you too." That, at least, I had no hesitancies or fear over. "I need to teach you how to take care of your hair, though."

"Like?"

"Well…"

Sumia returned with a small pile of books to me explaining conditioner to Lucina. She laughed and helped out with the explanation before the three of us settled down to read. It was… surprisingly peaceful.

* * *

"Henry and Lissa have been spending too much time together!" Maribelle huffed, grumbling. While Chrom, Robin, and Lucina talked about something, Maribelle complained to me about, apparently, how close Henry and Lissa were. "Grr… I should have a word with him."

"Now, now, let Lissa have her new friend," I chided, leaning a bit more against the railing. The water below was a beautiful blue, sparkling under the sunlight. "She's been having difficulties sleeping and he cheers her up."

"Mmm… I suppose." She sighed, brushing her hair behind her ear. "I can't blame her. Learning what's to come… it's terrifying. I'm sure the fact that Chrom was the _first_ to die hurt her terribly."

"Indeed." I glanced at her worriedly. "How are you holding up? I've noticed you've been drinking more calming teas."

"Honestly, a bit of a nervy wreck. Mostly, though, I'm worried about my future child showing up." She grimaced. "I expected more time to adapt to the idea of a child, you know. Lon'qu is also worried."

"At least you get a warning?"

"Very true." She touched my cheek, frowning. "You, my dear, have been losing sleep as well."

"I've a lot to worry about now."

"That is true." She smiled. "Don't be afraid to ask us for help, darling. We're here for you."

"I know." The problem, though, was that most of what bothered me… no one could help with. The guilt weighing into me about being a Vessel… honestly, I knew one way to prevent Grima's return, and yet I… "I'm mostly just overwhelmed, though, Maribelle. Like you said, I expected a little more time to… you know…"

"Learn how to be a mother." She shifted a bit closer and wrapped an arm around me. "Well, at least she's not fussy. All she really wants is to spend time with you and Chrom."

"True." I leaned my head against her shoulder. "Ah, what I'd really like is a nice relaxing bath."

"I know, right? Trying to relax in this sort of place is horrific. It's ridiculous, really." She sighed gustily. "And trying to deal with getting a proper tea is almost worse. I've had to recruit Lon'qu's help and, love of my life as he is, he is horrible at haircare and tea making."

"Well… hey, wait." I gave her a look. "You know; I didn't think about this sooner. But do you two share a room?"

"Yes?"

"Oh?" I smirked and her face slowly turning red. "Huh. I don't know why I thought that was surprising. I guess I thought you'd wait until your 'proper' marriage."

"…Well, that's what my father thinks is happening." She coughed, embarrassed, and I snickered. "Let's not inform him otherwise, yes?"

"I don't think I've seen your father since my wedding, so your secret is safe with me!" I began laughing, and she huffed before smiling softly. "Ah, sorry for teasing. I needed to laugh."

"I know, darling, and it's good to see your cheer return, if only for a moment."

"Thanks for understanding." A shadow above caught my attention, and I frowned at the clouds, trying to find what it was. My frown deepened when I realized it looked almost like a pegasus. But Cordelia was helping Libra in the infirmary, making seasickness remedies, and Sumia was napping with Frederick. "Maribelle?"

"Yes?"

"Should there be any pegasus knights near our ship?"

"No, not at this hour." She looked up too, but the shadow I'd seen hidden behind a cloud. "Why?"

"Well…"

"Enemies about!" Cherche swooped down and landed on the deck, dismounting quickly. Virion, to no one's surprise, helped her down. "We're meeting the Valmese fleet," she informed us. Everyone instantly tensed, and some began going for their weapons. The sailors began adjusting the sails. "We'll be on them soon."

There was, of course, quite a bit of chaos at that point, because what else would happen? I thought about listening in on the strategy meeting, but I opted against it to instead find our three fliers and warn them about the shadow I'd seen. However, when I heard what the final plan was, I wished I'd been there to point out some of the downsides to this plan and just why sometimes, the unexpected plan was unexpected _for a damn reason_.

Gods, Robin, sometimes…

* * *

I hated fighting on boats. I hated fighting at sea. My rhythm was completely thrown off thanks to the movement of the boat, and we were down a few due to seasickness. But that wasn't the worst of it. That wasn't the worst of it at all.

"Vaike, give me a hand here!" I ordered, crouching down to start shoving on one of the planks the Valmese were trying to use to get onto our ships. Vaike joined me without a fuss, and between the two of us, we managed to get the plank off, sending all those on it into the waters. Their screams as they struggled to swim and not drown were almost as haunting as the silence that followed as their bodies focused slowly on survival. Before long, they'd disappear under the waves, and only surface as corpses.

That was the worst part. Drowning was a bad way to go.

"Man, this is nuts," Vaike sighed. He wiped some sweat off his face, and grimaced. "Even the great Vaike is feeling off."

"Sea battles suck unless you specifically train for it." Now that I thought about it, Plegia's soldiers were trained in naval combat. It was very… convenient… ah, I didn't know. "We lose any?"

"Some soldiers, yeah. Shepherds, surprisingly, are holding strong. Had a close call with Panne, though."

"What happened?" I hadn't seen.

"Her bunny form isn't exactly made for sea battles. She nearly went over the railing. Cordelia saved her."

"Ah. When did that happen?"

"While you were catching- WHOA!" The ship rocked as one of the Valmese ships tried to ram us. They failed, thankfully. "Ugh… this sucks."

"It does. When did Panne fall over?"

"Oh, right." He shrugged. "When you were pulling Nowi up."

"Ah." Nowi's transformation had faded right as the ships had rocked unexpectedly, so instead of landing on the deck, she'd landed on the railing and toppled off. Thankfully, I'd been close enough to grab her. My stomach and shoulder were bruised from it. "Ah, shoot, I need to get back to guarding Tharja."

"Gaius, by the way, keeps saying he owes you for doing that for him."

"It's nothing." I was still a bit out of practice, though I was rapidly regaining my former strength, and that meant I was still on guard duty. "But I should get to-"

"Beware, evil-doers!" A pegasus knight appeared, out of nowhere, and struck down one of the Valmese griffon riders. "The hero of justice has entered the fray!" she declared dramatically, posing even. The wind tugged at her brown pigtails, and I noticed she was dressed in a blue Ylissean pegasus knight uniform. "As has her trusty sidekick!" I did wonder if she'd taken a head injury, though.

"Cynthia, some days, I swear…" The wind whipped up suddenly, surrounding a young man I didn't recognize, but wore a hat much like Miriel's, standing at the bow of the ship. He hadn't been there thirty seconds ago. "This is not what I meant by 'create a distraction'," he sighed, gesturing sharply. The wind sharpened into blades. "Well, I suppose I can deal with that botheration at a later time. Elwind!"

As the two fought, I glanced at Vaike. "You seeing what I'm seeing?" I asked dryly. He nodded and, for the first time ever, actually looked exasperated. "I don't think you can say anything about being loud and dramatic, except this is a little…"

"Hey, even the Vaike thinks to check in with the tactician." He shrugged, and shook his head. "Well, whatever. The Vaike is going to go back to helping chop down griffons."

"I think their wings are particularly vulnerable, like most fliers."

"Noted!" He jumped back into the fray, and I found Tharja just in time to cut down another griffon rider trying to disrupt her spellcasting.

She gave me a small smile in thanks before tearing through a few more of the Valmese cavalry. Similar dark magic showed Henry was also still casting spells. I glanced to the side, noticing Henry was keeping close to Lissa, which I thought strange since Robin didn't normally set spellcasters to guard the healers. But I shrugged and let it go, focusing on my own job.

At least, until I heard Lucina shout, "Cynthia! Laurent!" She held up her hand, and 'Cynthia' waved back, while 'Laurent' simply smiled. "Over here, the both of you!" Without hesitation, Cynthia swooped down while Laurent ran over. "Okay, let me tell you the current strategy. I don't want to throw off Uncle Robin's plan too much."

"Ah, do you know them, Lucina?" I asked, stepping away from Tharja. She nodded, silently saying it was okay, and I walked over to the three of them. "They really should've checked in first."

"I'm sorry. We're still so used to acting on our own." Lucina glanced down sheepishly, but lit up when I pushed the hair out of her face. "Anyway, Mother, this is Cynthia." She gestured to the pegasus knight, who waved, smiling brightly at me. "And Laurent." She pointed to the mage, who bowed, and smiled respectfully. "Do you know where Uncle Robin is?"

"He might be on the enemy ship with Chrom at this point."

"Got it. With me, you two." She raced away, and Laurent fell in step with her with a practiced ease. Cynthia flew over them protectively, perfectly careful to not hurt either. It was almost surprising, how well the three worked together.

"My, my, more children from the future?" Tharja asked. She walked over to me and leaned against my shoulder, eyeing them closely. "Seems our little family is growing."

"Seems so," I agreed. As much as I could while they were fighting, I studied Laurent, noticing his hair was a similar color to Kellam's, and that his eyes looked a lot like Miriel's. "He has to be Miriel's son. The girl… well, I wouldn't be surprised if she was Sumia's or Cordelia's." Actually, I noticed her face resembled Sumia's, and her hair color was a similar brown as Frederick's. "Sumia's."

"I agree." Her eyes darted to the side. "Ah, it looks like we're preparing to depart."

"In that case, you're in the first wave, yes?"

"I am. See you." She walked off, perfectly calm considering everything, and I began helping people evacuate onto the lifeboats, protecting them from the Valmese who tried to attack their retreating backs. The priority was killing the fliers, for reasons I was uncomfortable with, but I dared not go against orders. Flying enemies could sink the lifeboats, and I…

Cordelia soon flew near, and I climbed on behind her. Once she was certain I was secure, she took off and got us high above everything, out of range of anything. As she leveled off, we both looked down and watched the emptied vessels slam into the Valmese ships and our mages threw fire magic to ignite the oil saturating the ships and set it all aflame. My stomach turned at all the screams and the sight of all the people and horses drowning in the waves. I hugged Cordelia tightly and hid my face in her back to try and ignore it, but I knew I couldn't. I'd always remember the orange flames on the blue sea, and all the people who either burned to death or drowned, both horrifyingly slow deaths, while smoke swirled overhead, uncaring.

War wasn't pretty. I knew this. I knew this was also efficient and pragmatic, protecting us, and us losing only some ships we didn't quite need. But I hated this. I hated this so much.

* * *

Cynthia and Laurent properly introduced themselves once we were safely away, and I'd been right on their parents. Cynthia was Sumia and Frederick's daughter; Laurent's parents were Miriel and Kellam. I gave them sympathetic smiles as they tried to figure out how to adapt, but I kept my distance. I couldn't join in victory celebrations tonight. I couldn't get the sight of so many dying out of my head.

"Drowning takes a long time," I whispered, looking out over the waves. It was a dark blue this time, almost like it was filled with only shadows. "So does burning to death." Unless they got lucky and passed out, they'd be very aware of their life ebbing away, right until the end. While I knew it was necessary, given this sort of battle, I couldn't agree with it.

Yes, I'd killed people. I'd killed many people. But I'd done my best to make it quick. If you were going to kill a person, you should at least make sure they don't have time to suffer. So, this sort of death bothered me, and I could take no joy in winning. Not like this.

"Will victories like this be common when we're in Valm?" I leaned against the railing, watching the waves. "They might. Walhart's forces are zealous enough." It was another war, and I was already so tired. It also bothered me that we had to deal with this. A distraction, I was certain. Grima was coming back, but we had to put down a tyrant who couldn't be content with subjugating one continent. "Even if they're not involved, the Grimleal are going to take advantage of this." This was stupid. This was completely stupid. Worse was that if it was anything but a prideful idiot, we could've argued to ally together to deal with the Grimeal and… "Oh, freaking hell, they have to be involved."

It was the oldest strategy. Divide and conquer. And here we were, falling completely into the trap, and we couldn't even climb out of it because Walhart had fallen so completely. We were so screwed, and it added to the helplessness I felt. I knew there was one way to _definitely_ make sure Grima didn't come back, but I also knew that no one would agree. No one would…

"Aunt Kestrel~!" A tackle-hug nearly sent me crashing into the deck, and I barely kept balance by gripping the railing. A couple of blinks told me my 'attacker' was Cynthia. "Hi~!" she greeted, grinning up at me. After a moment of staring, I did return her hug, patting her back. "Yay! I'm so glad to see you!"

"Cynthia, you shouldn't bother people." Laurent also walked up then, adjusting his glasses. "It is the height of impoliteness to simply-"

"Yeah, yeah, mister killjoy. Like you weren't happy to see her too." Cynthia made a face before hugging me again. "Hee~ You're warm!"

"She is alive, therefore-"

"Kill. Joy." She stepped away then and grinned at me. "Well, I'll give you another hug in the morning. Bye~" She ran off then, happily jumping on Lucina to give her a hug too. Lucina yelped, but soon laughed, face softening with a relieved smile.

Laurent watched the two for a moment before bowing to me. "It is truly wonderful to see you again," he murmured. "I apologize for the difficulties we bring with our presence."

"No, don't fret about that," I reassured. I felt I had to. I could see the sadness in their eyes, even Cynthia, who tried to hide it with cheer. I couldn't just… I felt I had to reassure them. No matter how uncomfortable I actually was by all of this, I couldn't let them know. "It's simply a matter of adapting." Desperate for a subject change, I studied his face, and noticed something. "You look tired, though. You should probably go rest."

"That's…" He stared for a moment before abruptly looking down. "Ha, you're not much different."

"Pardon?"

"Reassuring even when you were hurting, focusing on others…" He looked up again, and smiled sadly. "I was almost overwhelmed for a moment."

"I… take it my future-self mothered you a lot?"

"You raised me." The words were simple, but they hit me sharply, like ice water. "My father died in battle. My mother disappeared soon after, never recovered. You… were one of the last to die among our parents. And each time one of us became an orphan, you simply took us in, without complaint. You told us stories about our parents, encouraged our paths, all while ruling Ylisse. It…" He looked down again. "It was a very dark day, when you went out to fight Grima, to buy time for us to escape, and never came back."

"I… see." This was too much. I _outlived_ most of my friends in that future? The very thought was enough to make me ill. I was so terrified of losing everything, and in the future 'destined' to come, I did. This was… "I'm sorry."

"No, no, please…" He shook his head. "But I do believe I shall retire as you suggested."

"Yes, you should. I imagine today was very emotionally exhausting." I kept up the smile until he left, but I let it fall as soon as I knew he wasn't paying attention. My mind was reeling and so, I decided to follow my own 'advice' and abandon the deck and just hide in my room.

When there, blessedly quiet thanks to being so far away from everything, I changed into my nightgown, and crawled under the blankets, desperately trying to relax and maybe go to sleep. But I couldn't. My mind raced too much. I just laid there, staring at the wall, for who knew how long. It was long enough for Chrom to come in from the festivities, change into his own sleeping-pants, and slipped into bed next to me, hugging me tightly. That was all I knew.

"You've been unsettled ever since Carrion Isle," he whispered. I could only sigh, not even surprised he figured it out. "Is it Lucina?"

"Not entirely," I murmured. I still looked at the wall, away from him. "Though, I did expect to have a little bit longer to deal with, say, being called 'Mother'."

"I know. It sounds strange to the ear."

"Extremely. But I don't want her to know."

"You're so inclined to hide." His words were somewhat chiding, but I didn't know how to reply. "So, if it's not only that, then is it Grima?"

"Well, obviously." My hand reached up towards my shoulder, the back of it where the Brand of Grima marked just how inhuman I was. "It's…"

"Everything will be fine, Kes." He deliberately kissed my brand for emphasis before drawing me closer. "We know it's coming now. We can change things."

"It's the very thing Robin and I spent our whole lives running from." I laughed mirthlessly. "I've known Grima was _destined_ to come back all my life. I'm an idiot."

"No, you're not." He peppered the back of my neck with kisses. "You are not alone, Kes."

"That didn't save our future selves." I sighed gustily, and did finally turn to face him. He looked so concerned, but I just… "This isn't something that can be hugged away. I wish it was. But all I can think is maybe Robin and I should just-"

"If the next word is 'die', don't." His expression hardened, but I saw the very real fear and pain in his eyes. I knew that would be the reaction. "I can't lose you, Kes. And I'll fight a god to make sure of it."

"If it's to save the world, Chrom…" If it meant Grima wouldn't come back… "Two lives for the world is nothing."

"It's not _nothing_ , Kes. It's you."

"That's…" 'Selfish', I wanted to say, but it felt wrong. Not that it wasn't correct, but when he looked so afraid, I couldn't… "Chrom…"

"We'll find another way." He pulled me closer, making it near impossible to move. Not that I wanted to, mind, but I knew this was just to reassure him that I was still here, and I wasn't sure how comfortable that was. "Besides, you promised me, yes? I promised you that I wouldn't leave you, and you promised you wouldn't leave me."

"…Yes, I did." I closed my eyes, guilt flooding me. If Robin and I just died, then the potential problem would erase itself. By gambling on another way, we risked Grima's return. At the same time, though, I was scared of dying. I was scared of losing everything. I was… "I'm scared."

"I know. I am too." He kissed the top of my head. "But it'll be fine. We'll make our own destiny. Anything can change. People, mountains, the oceans… even fate."

"We'll see." I had no faith in that, truthfully. But hey, he did. Maybe that would be enough. "I'll trust in you, I suppose."

"One of these days, we'll figure out how to get you to trust yourself. You're a wonderful woman. I should know; I married you."

"I love you." I really had no other reply, so I snuggled closer, turning slightly so that I could listen to his heartbeat. "I'm going to sleep, love."

"You're always avoiding my praise." He sighed, but kissed my temple and pulled the blankets a little more over us. "Good night, Kes. I love you too. Things will be fine. I-"

"What did I say about promising anything besides not leaving me?"

"Don't do it?"

"Precisely." I closed my eyes and tried to relax. "Silly."

"I've gone from mean to silly. I'll deal." He kissed my head, again. "Pleasant dreams, Kes."

"You too, love."

* * *

 _Notes on Lucina:_

 _Class – Lord; Reclass – Dark Mage, Myrmidon, Cavalier, Archer_

 _Daughter of Kestrel and Chrom. From the future, wielder of the Falchion. Its increased power is due to undergoing a partial awakening._

 _A very balanced fighter, much like her mother, and while her fighting style most closely resembles her father's, there are quite a few showings of her mother's influence._

 _Strong willed, determined, and also adorable in how she tries to connect again with her parents, leaping for joy at the simplest of affections. She also has the most bizarre sense of fashion._

* * *

Author's note: So, I mentioned this earlier, but I'm _not_ doing the Children Paralogues as they are in game, mostly because they're all over the map and there's no real way to smooth that out for pacing purposes. So, have two more child units: Cynthia and Laurent. Because that's a funny combination. Miriel's body never being recovered comes from the Future Past DLC. The tactic used here is actually one used in a lot of real-world naval battles, but Kestrel herself can't quite agree to condemning a bunch of people to drown, hence the negative view she has with it.

Next Chapter – Smoldering Resistance


	31. Chapter 16) Smoldering Resistance

Chapter 16) Smoldering Resistance

* * *

 _The rest of the journey is a strange mix of quiet and cheerful. We ran into no more Valmese soldiers, and Cynthia and Laurent add new dynamics to the group. Though there is some awkwardness, of course. But the parents manage to adapt, with Frederick even knitting Cynthia some gloves and Kellam quietly supporting Laurent whenever he pulled some experiment or other._

 _I do my best to not bring down the mood, but it is hard. All my old fears… they've roared back with a vengeance. They gnaw at my mind until I'm nothing but exhausted day and night. During the worse of it, I wished I never even met the group. Things had been so much easier when I could pretend to not feel anything._

* * *

The worst part about sailing was how boring it was. You were confined to a small space for hours on end, with barely anything to do. All the more aggravating to me was… well… after our conversation, Chrom had taken to hovering near. Clinging without seeming to cling No small part of me wanted to snap, because no matter how much I loved him and loved being near him, I did need my own space. It didn't help that the conversation weighed heavily on both of us, though we did our best to not let anyone know about it.

"The worst part was that I know he can be far more logical when it doesn't involve people he loves," I grumbled, resting against the railing. It was very, very early, the first of dawn's light creeping across the skies to chase away the night, and therefore, I had the deck all to myself. "If it were a stranger, he'd probably still fight, but he'd be far more willing to _listen_." But it wasn't. As things stood, it was 'find another way' or 'sacrifice your wife and best friend'. Of course he fought against it.

Me, though? If I weren't so scared of dying, I'd probably have already done it. I couldn't take gambles like this. I'd rather take the more certain path, the path I knew would work, instead of gambling on something better. When you gambled, you could win or lose. But losing would doom so many… thousands… millions… and, far more selfishly, it would doom my little girls. I couldn't take a gamble like that. I wasn't worth…

"Do you normally wake up this early to brood by the water, or is today a special day?" Robin walked up, laughing softly as he shifted his coat on a little better. It did little to hide the hickey on his neck. "I would've thought you'd be asleep still, like a sane person," he joked, joining me by the railing. "Or cuddling with your husband."

"I wanted a bit of fresh air," I replied, barely looking at him. I pointed to his neck, and he blushed before attempting to hide the hickey better. He failed miserably. "That's all."

"It's so early, though."

"You're up."

"Unsettling dreams." Robin shrugged, and then slowly stretched out his neck. "Many unsettling dreams. Perhaps my unconscious trying to remind me of our past."

"I hope not. You're much happier without the memories. You smile more."

"Then I almost wish I could take them from you, so that you'd smile more instead." He poked my cheek a few times until I had to smile and laugh a little. "You've been fraying a bit. Your nerves, I mean."

"Everyone is, you know. A group as rambunctious as ours isn't suited to cramped quarters." I gave him a slightly dirty look. "And _someone_ decided that destroying part of our armada was a smart idea, making us a little cramped."

"Hey, it destroyed a good portion of their army?" He smiled sheepishly, but I couldn't smile back. I couldn't help but remember the people who burned, and the people who drowned. I knew it was a sound tactic, and it got a lot of us out alive, but… "However, I can trace most of our group's frayed nerves to simply the travel. You, however… I'm not so sure. In fact, I'm certain that it's primarily something else. Perhaps, say… Grima?"

"Gods damn it." I groaned, dropping my head and barely resisting the urge to just bang my head on the railing. "You're a horrible person."

"For poking at my trying too hard sister?"

"I'm not _trying_ anything." It was so hard to not grumble. "Except trying to not scream."

"Whichever." He poked me again, but I didn't look up. "You were smiling a lot, before all of this."

"Well, there's a lot to worry about now, Robin." The words were snappier than I wanted, and I sighed. "I'm sorry. I was… I thought I was doing better, with all the support." But learning that I was _destined_ to lose everything, my greatest fear… learning that I was _destined_ to essentially doom my children, my friends' children, to a future of despair… that was enough to shake anyone. "It's nothing but me being stupid."

"I highly doubt that. What bothers you? Is it what happened in the future? Will happen if we don't do something?"

"If we even _can_ do something."

"We can. We are not pawns on destiny's boards. We are not actors following a script. There are invisible ties connecting us together, giving us strength." He took my hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "We forge the ties and we strengthen them. Through those ties, we make our own choices."

"…I wonder if your future self thought that." I smiled bitterly, shaking my head. "I can't believe that, Robin. I can believe in you and I can believe in Chrom, but I can't believe destiny is something that we can outrun. Out maneuver. We've run all our lives, and yet, apparently, we're still on the path to it."

"Perhaps we're not."

"In the future, apparently all the couples that we have now paired off just as they are now, particularly impressive given your amnesia. There was the war with Plegia, and then the war with Valm. Emmeryn died, no matter what."

"She died in a different way."

"But she still died." I sighed, closing my eyes briefly to try and ward off my headache. "Honestly, Robin, the only way I can see us subverting it is by taking us off the path entirely."

"I can't agree to that."

"I know you can't, and I know I'm afraid to." I looked down at the waves, and watched them crash against the boat. "It's pathetic, really."

"It's not pathetic to hold onto hope, Kestrel."

"I'm not, though. I'm not holding onto _any_ hope. I'm just too scared to die, Robin. I'm just too scared of everything."

He didn't reply, probably because he knew there was nothing to be said to that. Instead, he leaned into my side affectionately, and let me rest my head on his shoulder. The comfort was enough.

I couldn't believe destiny could change. But I could still believe in the others. Maybe that would be enough. But gods, I was scared it wasn't.

* * *

With that gloomy start to my day, I couldn't cheer with the others as we finally pulled into Valm Harbor, even though it meant our sea travels were over for now. Though, their cheer didn't last long. When we arrived, it was in the middle of some sort of altercation, so we immediately disembarked and split up to try and ensure the civilians were safe. I ended up with Virion and Tharja, as was quickly becoming our normal, and we ran around covering people as they ducked into safety. When we had a bit of a break, though, I noticed something. The Valmese soldiers… they were chasing someone.

"Based on how they are running, I would say that the person is…" I murmured aloud from my perch on a roof. Tharja and Virion had insisted on climbing up to better cover and since the Valmese soldiers had thought to look up yet, I focused on trying to find where the person they were chasing likely was. "Hmmm… perhaps…" I went on my tiptoes and grinned when I discovered I was right. There, tucked in a corner between two houses, was a woman not dressed in Valmese armor, but armored to the teeth and snarling at any Valmese soldier who got too close. "Is she dual-wielding?"

"Is who?" Tharja asked, taking a break from throwing thunderbolts to lean over my shoulder. She looked a bit and I pointed to help her. "Oh. Huh. Looks like it. That's odd. Do you kill twice as fast when you dual wield?"

"It's honestly not that practical in my experience, but that could be because I'm not trained in it."

"I see." She rested her chin on my shoulder, still watching the woman. "So many soldiers for one woman? This Walhart is clearly compensating for something. Perhaps a curse to 'help' him out."

"Tharja!" I burst into laughter, unable to help it. Virion fired an arrow, the last one in his quiver, and then gave us a weird look. "Tharja thinks Walhart is lashing out due to feel too 'small' in certain areas."

"Too… ah." Virion smiled, but hid it, likely to try and keep from laughing. "Well, I suppose…" he began. However, he began laughing, and shook his head. "I shouldn't find that so amusing. I've seen what he has done."

"You see what men obsessed with their masculinity and power do all the time," Tharja countered. She pointed to the woman, who was now looking around in confusion. Probably the laughter. "We think the soldiers are after her."

"Oh?" Virion walked over and found her instantly. "Well, I'll be…" He smiled warmly, though the accompanying laugh was surprised. "That's Say'ri, the princess of Chon'sin."

"You know her?"

"A trifle. I did more business with her brother, Yen'fey, the ruler of Chon'sin. But I have seen her before. I am not surprised to see her fighting." His smile dropped for seriousness. "We should go to her aid. She is a strong swordmaster, like many of Chon'sin nobles, but from here, I can see she is haggard."

"Let's climb down, then." Tharja looked around and nodded. "The others don't need cover for right now. Kestrel, do you mind helping me? I still can't believe I made it _up_ here."

"And yet, you were the one who insisted," I teased. She glowered and I laughed. "Come on. I'll help you down."

The three of us climbed down slowly, and picked our way towards 'Say'ri'. There were a few soldiers, but they didn't like Tharja's magic. Or my sword. Or Virion's back-up dagger since he needed more arrows. Regardless, we made our way through fairly easily, and thus, found Say'ri, still looking around confused, but she smiled when she saw us.

"You do not bear the garb of Walhart's soldiers," she murmured, bowing to us. Her tone and accent were strangely formal, but her smile was kind when she saw me. "Ah, pray tell, might you been Queen Kestrel of Ylisse?"

"Er… yes?" I squeaked, startled. Virion patted my back reassuringly while Tharja snickered. "How did you…?"

"We do still get travelers, your majesty. Many merchants have come over the past two years and regaled us with tales of Ylisse's Warrior Queen." She bowed slightly, and I had to fight to keep from blushing. And stifle the urge to glower at Chrom for that 'nickname'. "I am Say'ri, your majesty, of Chon'sin."

"Ah, yes, I… Virion told me." I gestured to him and silently begged him to help. He gave me a teasing look at first, but my panic must've shown, because he immediately stepped up. "You might remember him?"

"Duke Virion?" Say'ri replied. She started for a moment before bowing slightly again. "You must forgive my surprise. I had heard you had fled."

"I did, to keep my people from fighting, and dying, in a hopeless battle," Virion replied with great dignity. He bowed back, smiling kindly. I worked on calming down a bit, and was touched when Tharja actually took my hand and patted my shoulder. I'd rather have their hatred than their deaths."

"That…" She frowned, but then smiled bitterly. "I am afraid I cannot quite grasp the logic of your reasoning. The words make sense, yet I cannot help but think of other scenarios."

"You and I had very different upbringings, Princess Say'ri. Chon'sin values honor far more than my home."

"'Tis true, yes." Her smile warmed, though. "Yet you return, alongside allies. I pray your people will see your logic, even if I do not."

"I will earn their trust again, the hard way."

"Better than my brother." She scowled, glowering at the ground. "May Duma's fires roast him."

"That's… surprising." Virion frowned. "Yen'fey always came across as a quiet, but honorable man."

"Yet he sided with Walhart without a single fight, and leads our armies to destroy villages." Say'ri spat out the words, hatred making them venomous. "He was once good, but no longer. He is not my brother, and if we meet him on the field of battle, I would cut him down, same as any other imperial."

"It seems much has changed in two years, then." Virion managed to smile again, though. "Your fire and beauty, however, has not, Princess Say'ri."

"Ah, there is the silver-tongue that trots out flattery as easily as the wind blows." She relaxed, shaking her head. "You change the subject to keep me from stressing."

"Now, now. I merely am paying you a compliment."

"I shall pretend to fall for that." She grew a little more serious, but her smile remained as she turned to me. "Queen Kestrel, do you lead the army or does another?"

"Me? No, that would be my husband and my brother, along with Flavia, Ferox's ruling Khan," I replied. I felt a little steadier now, though Tharja still held my hand. "Here, let's take you to them, and finish up this battle."

"Verily!" Say'ri replied, nodding firmly. She really did speak formally. "Lead on."

We made our way through the battle, Say'ri and I taking point, and found Chrom and Robin who had been looking for us. Quick introductions all around, before we finished off the last of the enemies and then began helping people with dealing with the rubble and their injured. I took the grim duty of body detail, out of habit, and carried the corpses of our soldiers, their soldiers, and the civilians all caught up in the mess.

At one point, though, I had to pause. I was picking up the body of a half-trampled child, bloody making their body horrendously sticky. Only their lowered half was gone. They'd bled out, slowly and in terrible pain, and no one came to help. For a split second, I saw my baby girls in their place, and I looked up to shake my head, but all I saw was devastation. Ruin. Burning and broken houses. Crying and sobbing people. Corpses lining the streets. Blood streaming into the sewers. It was a sight you saw often when war happened. I also knew, though, that if Grima came back, such scenes would be tame. If Grima came back, all would die and…

"Mother?" A hand fell on my shoulder, and I looked up to see Lucina looking at me worriedly. "Mother, you don't look like you've slept well," she whispered, crouching down next to me and reaching for the child. "Why don't you rest? I'm used to things like this."

"That isn't…" I began. My heart broke at how easily she offered, but I managed to hold onto my calm. Of all the people I didn't want to know how scared I was… a parent was supposed to be strong for their child. My mother did that. "I'm just worried, Lucina. That's all." I ruffled her hair and smiled, and Lucina smiled back, relieved. Neither of us mentioned the blood in her hair, or the blood sticking awkwardly to my face and neck. "How about you and I work together, though? We'll get done faster, and then have more time to spend on happier things."

"I'd love that!" Lucina's expression lit up and I softened, relaxing. That smile… I wanted to protect it. Even if her being here caused me a host of problems… I wanted to protect her and her smile. "Here, I'll get the top half…"

* * *

"You have my gratitude for coming to assist us," Say'ri whispered, bowing even though she was sitting. With everything a little more settled, Chrom, Robin, and Flavia all decided to talk to Say'ri. Robin asked for me to join in, since Virion wanted to patrol with Cherche. "Truly, it is appreciated."

"Well, it's not like we had too much of a choice," Chrom explained, smiling awkwardly. We were borrowing one of the intact houses, sitting around a kitchen table. Say'ri sat with her legs tucked under her, something I did vaguely remember from my own travels through Chon'sin. "Walhart has attacked our own shores and, worse, sent an assassin after our children." Chrom and I shared a pained look. We both worried deathly for our girls even now. "We had to answer."

"I understand completely." Say'ri sat ramrod straight, smiling. "Well, I am one of the leaders of the Resistance, though many do distrust me, due to my brother being Walhart's general."

"I had thought Walhart stamped out all dissenters."

"He tries, but we are far too swift. We strike quickly and vanish again into the dark of night. The people support us. They help where they can."

"I would've thought them too afraid."

"Some are. But others turn to anger when their villages are razed to the ground for no reason but sport." Say'ri smiled proudly. "They even say that a woman named Berenice assists and leads a resistance group within the heart of Walhart's troops, though of course, I cannot verify that. No matter how hard I try to bring us together, my reach and stealth cannot make it past Valm's guards. But still, I do believe it. Even now, rebels ride to the banner of dynasts across the continent. United, we can be a veritable threat to Walhart."

"Is that so?" Flavia asked. She sat back in her chair and crossed her arms. "What's stopping this union? Pride?"

"Greed, jealousy, sloth. All of the old weaknesses of man." Say'ri growled under her breath. "They want freedom, but on their terms and will not ride unless promised some riches. Some refuse to take up arms unless they are directly threatened. Others thrive in these harsh times and will not join unless we prove to be more 'profitable'."

"Liberty is a fine word, but not always enough to rouse the people from their foolishness."

"It's not enough to stir up hope," I countered gently. I felt I had to. I knew what it was like, to simply lose all hope. I was battling it now, with Grima. "When you see everything fall apart, it takes special people to help the broken masses pick up the pieces. Easier to simply let it be."

"Too true," Robin agreed. Since I was sitting between him and Chrom, he snuck his hand down to squeeze mine. "So, what we'll have to do also is show them hope, a hope greater than the fear they have."

"And hope they're aren't hostages." If this… Excellus was the type to send assassins, he had to be the type to take hostages. "Not to mention a good rallying point… we won't do. We're outsiders, coming to help. We can lead the forces, but we can't be the rallying point."

"Otherwise, we're not much better than Walhart, or at least, so people will think," Chrom murmured. He fell silent for a moment before looking at Say'ri. "Do you have any ideas to unite your people?"

"Yes, one," Say'ri replied. She leaned forward, eyes sparkling with excitement and hope. "After the Schism, our people began worshiping Naga, much as those of Ylisse do, though you still have those who worship the Earth Mother and War Father. And in Mila's very own tree is a temple where Lady Tiki, Oracle of Naga, rests. She has been kept prisoner there for some time, but if she were freed…"

"A very convenient rallying point."

"Precisely." Say'ri pointed in a 'random' direction. I was certain it wasn't random to her, but I certainly didn't know. "The way to the Mila Tree is blocked from this direction, but I believe the north should be less protected. Only the Shrine Ruins are there."

"A shrine to Mila?"

"Some believe that. Others believe it was a shrine to Duma, the War Father. Sadly, while some records from before the Schism remain in Valm's libraries, the true knowledge of the shrine did not." Say'ri smiled slightly. "Not helped, of course, by how the lands were said to have shifted."

"Ah, yes, we lost many records as well."

"Any potential problems?" Flavia asked, linking her hands together and stretching her arms above her head. "Fighting?"

"Not until we reach the Great Gate, providing that things are typical," Say'ri explained. She sketched in the air, like she had a mental map. "Even then, we might be able to bypass the nearby towns and cities. There will be a festival soon. People move in and out all the time during a festival."

"Sounds perfect for slipping people through." Flavia grinned and stood. "Let's sort out the details later. I think we can all use a little break."

The group dispersed then, or tried to. I noticed Chrom sticking close to me again and stopped in the middle of the room while Say'ri, Flavia, and Robin left. Chrom stopped as well, and it just… I was sure there were some people who wanted to spend every waking moment with their beloved, but there was a difference between choosing to do that and having your partner cling.

"Chrom, there's no need to stay so close," I grumbled, leaning against the table. I didn't look up at him. "If I plan on killing myself, I will inform you first."

"That's not…" Chrom began, sounding hurt. There was a very long silence before he continued. "Why joke about that?"

"It's not really a joke."

"Kes…" He sighed. "May I hug you?"

"…You may." I leaned into his and closed my eyes to listen to his heartbeat. Absently, my hand fell to his and lingered over his wedding ring. "I love you."

"I love you too. I wish…" He sighed again and hugged me a little tighter. "You know, even now, some days, I can't believe you're here. You're here and you're my wife. It's like a dream, really." He kissed the top of my head and twisted his hand to clutch mine. Both of our wedding rings shone in the fading light. "You appeared in my life very quickly. Out of nowhere, really. Even after two years, three… however long, I feel like you'll disappear."

"Chrom…"

"I'm braver when you're near. I'm steadier. I don't feel quite so lost. And…" His hand began shaking, and I lifted it up to kiss it. "I'm terrified that I will look away, so very briefly, and you'll go away, because you're noble enough to sacrifice yourself, and I… it may be foolish, but I believe that we can find a future where you and Robin live, and our people are safe. A future where, when everything is over, we both return to our girls, and we rule Ylisse together."

"…I'm not noble." I just wanted to spare my family and friends. I just didn't want to lose everything. I'd rather die than watch everything fall apart. "It's selfish, really." I sighed, though, and opened my eyes to look at him. "Fine. I won't go far from you. You don't go far from me. You find a way, and I'll see if you can manage it."

"You have no faith I can do it, huh?"

"I believe that if anyone _can_ , Chrom, you and this crazy group can." I smiled bitterly up at him. "I'm just not so certain it's even possible. But, if anyone can, you can. So, I'll try to believe for a while longer."

"Kes…" He leaned down to kiss me, hard and desperate. I responded in kind, clinging to him tightly.

I wished I could just magically have faith, could magically just… not be the way I was. But I couldn't. All the anxiety I felt… all my guilt and hatred… it didn't just disappear. All I could do was try and fight it off long enough to believe in them. Along with everything else we had to fight. Gods, the next few days were going to be horribly tiring. I wanted to go home.

* * *

After the conversation, and ensuing make out session because my husband was far too good of a kisser, Chrom went to talk to Say'ri about what supplies and fighters the Resistance had. I decided to cook for everyone, which ended up being a surprisingly lively cooking session with some of the villagers. Cynthia, exuberant as always, insisted on helping, though after she fell and nearly knocked things over for the fifth time, I assigned her as the bread kneader and official taste tester. She dragged Laurent into helping out too, and Lucina shyly asked to assist, since she didn't actually know how to cook but wanted to learn. I ended up teaching all three of them, and wondered why my future self never did. Maybe 'she' hadn't had the time.

Once everything was cooked and served, I ducked into one of the empty houses and sharpened my sword, relaxing into the familiar rhythm. I'd need a new sword soon. This on was the same one I'd fought with during the war with Plegia, and it was showing its age. I wondered if Say'ri knew of a good armory where we could buy swords and not have to worry about being caught.

"Ah, there's the cooking queen!" Basilio walked in with a boisterous laugh. I looked up to smile at him, but continued with my task. "So, Flavia was wondering if you and Chrom had an argument," he said, leaning against the wall. I nearly bit my tongue because I was so startled at the bluntness. Then again, it did suit him. "She's been trying to sort of poke around and see, but I figured I'd ask."

"It's not exactly an argument," I sighed, grimacing. I didn't really like it that the… whatever… was gossip for the people. "I'm in a bit of a… mental downturn I suppose you could say…"

"Ah, one of those." He nodded, fully understanding. "You swear you're fine, then something happens and bam! You wonder if you actually made any progress or just fooled yourself into think you did."

"Yeah. Then you have the thing with the future, and destiny…"

"Oh, all that destiny stuff is hogwash." Basilio said it easily, and perhaps with a touch of annoyance. "Yes, the gods do favor some sides and whatnot, but they've better things to do than plot out every bit of our lives. One's 'fate', if it can be called that, is simply the choices that you make, based on you and your personality, and the consequences of those choices."

"What if they only lead you to one road, though?" I stopped sharpening my sword and looked up at him. "What if…" What if you were 'destined' to bring about the end of everything? "What if you can only see one way to get off said road?"

"Oh, wow, no wonder Chrom's been worried." He sighed and sat down next to me. "Okay, here's what I'm hearing. You're panicking because of the war, the threat to your children, having to be the mother to a… hmm…" He paused, thinking of his words. "Technically an adult, but in many ways, is still a child desperate for love and attention… person. Persons, rather. Cynthia and Laurent might cling to their parents, but I've noticed how they'll pop over to you."

"My future self apparently raised them."

"That's… oh, lovely, so we're also dealing with preliminary survivor guilt, and the whole 'will I watch them all die' thing. That's never fun." He nodded a bit, closing his eyes as he thought. "Then we have the whole 'bad future' thing and I'm guessing there's a tie to that past you prefer keeping quiet about."

"Sorry…"

"You kidding? You don't hear Flavia and me talk about our pasts either. You don't become a Khan of Ferox without seeing a lot of blood and a lot of pain." He paused briefly, and a dark look appeared in his eyes before he shook his head. "And we're not the only ones. Nowi doesn't talk about hers, and she's apparently old enough to remember when 'Witches' existed and this land was called 'Valentia'." That would… that would make Nowi very old. "Panne mentions her people's genocide, but you hear nothing about how she survived the years. I'm an old friend of Gregor's, but hell if I know all of his past, just bits and pieces."

"I… suppose…"

"You're a harsh critic of yourself. Not too much of a surprise. Gods know I was, once. Then I decided to screw everything and keep on laughing." He patted my head, and I made a face. "So, if you need quiet time, take it. If you need a laugh or something… well, I've a few good stories."

"…Thank you…" I smiled at him, touched. I wasn't sure how reassuring the words were, but I was comforted nonetheless. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Good on you." He pushed himself up and rolled his shoulders. "Ah, that's far too much introspection for me, so I think I'll take my fine brown arse out of here and tease Robin and Olivia."

"Lucina mentioned they have a 'youngest' daughter, so they likely have at least two kids."

"Oh, that's going to be hilarious." He laughed loudly, and I had to giggle. It was probably mean, but… well… "Now, how should I use that information? Hmm…"

He was still laughing as he left, and I returned to sharpening my weapon. When that was done, I debated a bit before stepping outside, not joining the crowd, but at least being visible. Someone, a person I didn't recognize, swung by and passed me a drink of water. However, as they left, just before I took a sip, I heard something very odd, and very troubling.

"Quia nihil mali ei dare. Ille demens, si ea non sit mortua, et usque ad ánimos conciliandos se est bonum idea." The words were very soft, half-muttered, and if I weren't a little hyper-sensitive, I might not have heard it. In fact, I wasn't certain I did. But I watched the person out of the corner of my eye, pretending to drink the drink, and saw how they kept a careful watch on all of us, while keeping as unobtrusive as possible. Combined with what I thought I heard, it painted quite the picture. So, I discarded the drink, passed the drink to someone else, and asked where Chrom or Robin was. After all, a benefit to being the wife of one leader and the twin sister to another was definitely how no one suspected anything when you went to find them.

Chrom was sitting alone on a barrel, laughing as he watched Flavia and Gregor spar, Donnel watching closely with sparkling and determined eyes. Flavia glanced over a bit worriedly when she saw me, but when she saw me walk over to Chrom and lean down to hug him, she smiled in relief and focused her all on the sparring.

Chrom, for his part, simply reached up and held my arm, not saying anything and only smiling in reaction. I waited for a moment before I leaned down to whisper in his ear, "we've Grimleal among our number, love. Spies."

"Is that so?" he asked, speaking just as quietly. He did a fairly good job in not reacting to the news, though his smile did falter. "You're sure?"

"Fairly. It also makes sense, given what I know of them."

"I see." He nodded and leaned his head back. "I'll let Robin know. I've a meeting with him soon. Should be in now, but Basilio insisted teasing took precedence."

"It always does." I kissed his cheek and he went back to smiling, and I quickly tried to think of a cover for what we'd been whispering about. "Say, Chrom, I was thinking of sharing to Lucina how you confessed to me."

"You what?!" Chrom immediately yelped and went red, and I stepped away to laugh and laugh. "No way, don't tell her that!"

"Why not? It's a good memory for me!" I jumped back and skipped a bit off to not bother Flavia, Gregor, and Donnel. Chrom, of course, followed. "Though, I suppose I could just show her the poems."

"Those are for you only!"

"But she's our daughter. Our precious Lucina should know her father is quite the poet."

"No, she shouldn't!"

"Is… Is everything okay?" With the most perfect timing ever, Lucina walked up, looking very confused. What was amusing was that it was almost the same confused look her baby-self had. "Are you two… arguing?" she asked hesitantly, fidgeting with her hands. I wondered briefly why she'd think that, before realizing that Chrom must've died when she was young. She likely had never seen me tease him. "Um…"

"No, no, I'm just teasing him silly," I explained, making sure to smile. Chrom hugged me from behind and tried to twist me away. "He's just protested me sharing how he confessed to me."

"Wait, you'll tell?!" Lucina grinned, bouncing on her toes briefly before scowling. "Oh, drat, that's one of the wagers for our sparring matches! I should've just asked you. I really want to know!"

"Kes, please, mercy," Chrom groaned. I simply smiled and leaned into him a bit more. "Please, love and light of my life."

"And what do I get in exchange?" I asked, looking up at him. I made sure to smirk and he groaned. "Come now. She's so excited."

"My eternal devotion?"

"Do I not have that already?" Still, I did blush, more so when I saw Lucina watching with rapt attention. "I think you swore that to me in your wedding vows."

"I… well, yes…" He whimpered and I snickered. "Please?"

"Oh, fine, I'll relent." Considering our earlier conversation, I did owe him. "She did get a little tidbit anyway." And her bright smile showed how much she adored even that little bit. "I suppose I could tell Cynthia about how Sumia accidentally confessed to Frederick and ran, though. Or tell Laurent how Miriel and Kellam eloped."

"She did? They did?" Lucina asked, eyes going wide. "I didn't know that!"

"Really?" I replied, wondering why my future-self didn't tell. Maybe 'she' had found it too painful? "Well, go ahead and snag them. I'll gladly tell."

"Yay! I love you!" Lucina hugged both Chrom and me tightly before rushing off to find them.

Chrom lingered a bit, kissing my cheek and temple, before he pulled away. As Lucina returned with an openly excited Cynthia, and a quietly-trying-to-hide-his-curiousity Laurent, I saw Chrom head over to where Robin had apparently been lingering and whisper something to him. Robin's eyes widened briefly, before nodding, the gears already turning in his head. He quickly caught my eye and smiled secretively. In it, I saw 'leave it to me.' I smiled back, somewhere between reassuring and sad before focusing on the three, starting first with Sumia and Frederick's confession, fully aware that I'd deal with a horribly embarrassed Sumia later.

They held onto hope. I had been kicked down so much by destiny that I wasn't sure I could. But I'd smile and pretend. Maybe I'd eventually believe too. If nothing else, though, I supposed I could take Basilio's tactic and just try to laugh. Maybe it would at least make the inevitable end feel better.

* * *

 _Notes on Cynthia:_

 _Class – Pegasus Knight; Reclass – Knight, Cleric, Cavalier, Wyvern Rider_

 _Daughter of Sumia and Frederick, from the future. She's a bright and cheerful girl, with a strong desire to be a 'hero' like her parents._

 _Perhaps because of how differently her parents fight, she's a rather balanced fighter, with an impressive amount of skill. Though she is a pegasus knight like Sumia, she is stronger than her mother, perhaps something she inherited from her father._

 _She can be very theatrical and, combined with inheriting Sumia's disagreement with gravity, it can lead to unintentionally hilarious, or terrifying, moments. Still, since she also inherited Frederick's sense of duty, she keeps at it, no matter what._

* * *

Author's notes: So, for the record, Kestrel basically suffers from PTSD, anxiety, and depression. None of these things magically just 'disappear' because she's got a loving husband and caring friends, though the support network did, and does, help her fight back the worst of it. Sadly, though, all the recent stresses (War, Daughter from the future appearing, learning what happens in said future which includes two of her worst fears…) caused lots of it to surge back. (This is also why updates will likely be sporadic during the winter. It's not a mindset I want to be in much during the season.)

Robin's talk about 'not being pawns' is technically from the previous chapter, but Kestrel wasn't there to overhear it. The 'Plegian Spies' is something the game reveals much, much later, but I'm setting up now. Lucina mentioning a wager for sparring comes from her B support with Chrom, though that one specifically mentions 'how you and mom met'. Normally in game, you'd just head directly to the Mila Tree, but we're taking a slight… detour.

Next Chapter – Festival of Flowers (based on Paralogue 6)


	32. Chapter 17) Festival of Flowers

Chapter 17) Festival of Flowers

* * *

 _So, we head north, towards the ruins of some shrine. To get there, we have to pass through an area known as the 'Grand Gate', a ruined fortress of some kind. No one really lives there, aside from the odd bandit, but there are plenty of villages and towns nearby. The largest of them holds a giant festival this time of year, the Festival of Flowers. The original plan had been to use the chaos to slip through unnoticed, but one of Say'ri's contacts found us and revealed some troubling information. The lord around here had finally thrown his lot in with the winning side, aka Walkhart, and now let the 'soldiers', aka bandits, run rampant, doing whatever they wanted._

 _Seeing that we were an army filled with kind hearted people, it was quickly decided we would oust the lord and liberate the people. Somehow. Why do I love and adore these people again?_

* * *

I pitied the people who had to clean everything up once the festivities were over. There were flower petals _everywhere_. On roofs of buildings, flying through the air, coating the roads in a thick layer… everything smelled amazing, but seriously, the clean up was going to be a disaster. Though, no one here seemed to care. THey were all smiling and laughing, though I could see how thin and drawn they were. These were a people who were pretending everything was okay for a day, while being well aware that things weren't.

I remained convinced Walhart was nothing more than an idiot, with far more balls than brains. People just didn't last when you put them through so much terror. Either they fought back or they killed themselves to escape. Either way, 'conquering' wasn't sustainable. I was also convinced that the Grimlea was using the idiot. Worse, the idiot probably thought he was the one in control.

Sighing, I brushed my hair behind my ear and reached up to fix my ponytail. Introspection was _not_ why I was out here alone. I had wanted to get a read on the people and the area, so I left with the other 'scouts' to wander through the town. It wasn't like I was needed in camp. There were no chores at this hour. Chrom, Say'ri, and Flavia were discussing what to do, with Robin coming up with the plan. Same old, same old. Gathering gossip and the like was a far better use of my time, and gave me some time to settle myself. I had a horrible nightmare of a shadowy beast eating all the children, both my babies and the grown ones traveling with us. Not a good way to start the day...

"Now, that's too sad of a look for such a beauteous flower!" It took a few blinks to realize there was a person addressing me, even though they had stepped out in front of me. "For you," he said, giving me a bouquet of flowers. I took them automatically, studying them absently. Blue clothes that were more functional than fancy, light armor, good sword… probably a wandering mercenary. Fine face, I supposed. Black hair, brown eyes… there was something familiar about him, but I didn't care enough to try and determine why. "Flowers almost as pretty as you!"

"That's kind of you," I murmured. I glanced around, wondering if someone had dared the boy into doing this before shrugging. "Though, I do warn. I am very happily married."

"Darn, so no tea?" He grinned, not bothered in the slightest. "Ah, my luck continues. But neither here nor there. Truthfully, I saw you looking sad and hoped the flowers might cheer you up a trifle."

"Did you?"

"Of course! Everyone should smile. Life is beautiful, after all!" He laughed and gestured around. I found his comment so… odd that I couldn't help but join in on the laughter. "Now, there's a smile. Lovelier than I could've guessed. Your spouse is very lucky indeed."

"Not sure on that one, but I will appreciate the thought. And your gesture."

"I'm gladdened you enjoyed." He winked and left, disappearing easily into the crowd. I stared after him, utterly baffled before shaking my head. You met all sorts when you were out and about. He must've been one of those types who saw how bad things could be, yet still kept on being happy. That took a special sort of strength, one that I sadly didn't have.

Still smiling though, I studied the flowers, softening when I realized they were white, light red, and pink carnations. I didn't necessarily have a favorite flower or anything, but I did have a soft spot for carnations nowadays, since my wedding bouquet had been filled with them. So, I walked through and thought of Virion's lessons on flower meanings. White carnations for pure love and good luck. Light red for admiration. Pink… that one escaped me for a moment, but I had to smile sadly when I did remember. 'A mother's undying love.' How… fitting, I supposed.

I half thought of passing them out to people on my way back, but I found myself holding onto them, remembering how kind the boy had been. So, I still had all of them when I finally returned to the empty storage house we were using as our main base of operation. Chrom, Robin, and Say'ri were sitting at the table, still in discussions, but they looked up with smiles when I walked in. Chrom's faltered briefly, but Say'ri laughed and clapped her hands.

"I see you received some flowers while you were out!" she cheered, standing. She skipped to my side and peered at them, counting. "Seven, huh? During this festival, giving a bouquet of seven flowers says 'I wish you good fortune'."

"That seems to fit the young man who gave them to me," I replied, dropping my pack to the ground. I quickly went through it and found a book to press the flowers. "So, is it traditional to give flowers to strangers?"

"Tis not uncommon, though most receive them from friends and family." She leaned forward and 'loudly whispered' the next part. "King Chrom was asking about a suitable flower to get you."

"Oh, was he now?" I grinned at Chrom, who looked away. However, he was red all the way to his ears, and Robin was snickering. "Wait, dear, are you jealous?"

"No, not at all," Chrom replied quickly. Too quickly. He was jealous. "Did you have fun?"

"Well, perhaps a little," I answered coyly, grinning. I pressed the last one and then went to hug Chrom. He still didn't look at me, though he did smile goofily when I kissed his cheek. "That said; I would very much like a flower from you, my love."

"Really?"

"Yes, of course."

"So sad that Lucina isn't here to see you being cute," Robin teased. He smiled broadly and leaned forward a bit, resting his elbows on the table. "Though, truth be told, he was asking because we were waiting on you before we finalized the plan of attack."

"Really?" I asked, intrigued. I rested my chin on top of Chrom's head, refusing to sit even when Say'ri silently offered her chair. "What is it?"

"Well, what do you say about guarding Olivia? She's already agreed, but…"

"Guard her?" I frowned and sighed. "Oh, what insane plot did you all concoct this time?"

* * *

The insane plot was remarkably simple given my twin. There was a dancing competition. Those who did well were invited inside the palace to personally meet the lord. We had a very talented dancer. As I said, simple. The hardest part of prep was helping Olivia get ready for the performance. Mostly because Maribelle insisted that Olivia wear a new outfit for the competition and _somehow_ _made one quickly_. It suited her well, despite being mostly blacks instead of her typical whites, but still. _Still._

I shook my head and focused again on Olivia's dance from my place against a building. She was using a very special fan for this one instead of her normal 'dancer rings' or whatever the proper term was. Despite not having her normal equipment, though, her dance was captivating. I didn't know much beyond 'she spun quickly', 'twirled beautifully', and the like, but it was very beautiful. It was a bit of a bolder performance than her normal one, probably because the whole point of this was to gain attention. I was a bit worried it would get very unwanted attention, but that was part of the reason why I was her guard. And why a guard was necessary.

When she finished, the crowd roared with applause, loud enough to actually shake a few petals off the rooftops. Olivia smiled serenely and bowed, stepping off the stage. I made my way over with a towel for her, and she grinned at me, flushed and sweaty and very, very nervous. I wanted to reassure her, but there really wasn't much time as the next person stepped on the stage and I got distracted. It was the boy who had given me the flowers before. He fidgeted nervously as the crowd cheered in encouragement for him and I noticed a couple of things that struck me as odd. Though the colors were different, his costume actually was rather similar to Olivia's normal dancing costume and he carried 'dancer rings' much as he did, though his had two blue scarves tied to them instead of the one large white scarf that Olivia would use. It just… stood out to me.

Then he began dancing and I noticed similarities between his dancing and Olivia's. Though, that could've just been similarities in general between different dances and I could see just as many differences. He danced well, but it was clear there was some discomfort. He was less skilled than Olivia, but his movements were stronger. He handled sudden stops better. Tiny little things, really. I mostly focused on how he danced very well.

The crowd roared in approval for him too and he stepped off the stage on the opposite side of us. I got on my tiptoes to make sure someone was meeting him, and saw him talking with a young girl with pink hair, not unlike Olivia's. Which… all made me wonder something, but there were far too many people between them and me for me to justify pushing my way through to figure it out. So, instead, I kept close to Olivia, making sure no one bothered us while she watched all the performances with rapt and giddy attention. As soon as the last one was done, and the crowd had settled down, someone representing the lord declared that Olivia and 'Inigo' were invited to have dinner in the palace with the lord, who I didn't catch the name of. It took only a second to see that 'Inigo' was that boy, based on the activity.

"Oh, good, it worked!" Olivia whispered, breathing a sigh of relief. "I'm surprised they liked it. I just flailed about and pretended to dance. I think you'd get better coordination from rolling a ham down the stairs."

"One of these days, we need to have a talk about our anxiety issues," I murmured. I took her hand and guided us through the crowd to the palace. "Not surprised in the slightest on both of you."

"Both… oh, right!" Olivia got on her tiptoes to make sure 'Inigo' was heading that way too. "Good! I had hoped to talk to him!"

"Really?" I frowned, skeptical. "Shy you wants to go talk to someone?"

"W-well, I wanted to ask him about his dance." She ducked around someone's reaching hand and pressed closer to me. "The first half was part of my favorite dance, and Robin's favorite of mine if I must be truthful." She sighed gustily, smiling sweetly. "But the second half was such a departure. A little stiff, but it was beautiful. Though, his spins lack his conviction, and he really needs to extend his focus to his fingertips to help with the tricky transitions…"

"I am going to remind you that we wanted you to impress the lord for reasons beyond teaching another dancer."

"Drat." She whimpered and I had to laugh. "M-maybe after? I really am curious."

"Fine, fine." I couldn't wait to tease Robin about how Olivia was charmed by the same boy who gave me flowers earlier. Though perhaps I would tell Chrom first, just so that he could get some revenge. "Have you signalled the others?"

"Oh, no, not yet." She opened up her fan and let the sunlight bounce off the gold bits. Hopefully, our people could see and begin slowly taking out the guards while we kept the lord busy. "I hope I don't mess this up."

"If you do, we'll blame Robin." I pulled her a bit closer to me as we made it out of the crowd and towards the guard waiting for us. "Here we go."

* * *

The castle was almost gaudy in its decorations. While the lord of the place, who I still didn't get the name of, praised and gushed over Olivia and Inigo, I looked about the large room, amusing myself by imagining Maribelle's reactions to it. For instance, she'd be squawking over the eye-stabbing yellow curtains, for instance, or the equally bright green rugs by the windows. The painting of… well, I assumed it was supposed to be a warrior woman of some kind or something, but according to the painter, this woman had boobs bigger than her head, a face more like badly kneaded dough with currants placed awkwardly, and had backwards legs, based on how the feet were positioned in comparison to the hips. And a broken spine based on how much the woman was twisted. And that all was just what I could stomach looking at.

Shaking my head, and desperately biting my tongue, I checked that Olivia was doing well and noticed her smile becoming stiffer and stiffer. She caught my eye, though, and shrugged, so she was just a bit uncomfortable by the attention. It seemed Inigo was the same, based on how rigid his posture was. The young girl he was with patted him on the back, and I focused on her, rather curious due to my earlier suspicion. A suspicion that gained more weight when I noticed her jacket. It looked like Robin's, though it had been tailored to her smaller form. But what were the chances? What were the odds that… of course, what were the chances of encountering your children from the future? Seriously, once that came into play, all logic went out the damn window.

"I… have to refuse your gracious generosity, my lord," Olivia suddenly murmured. I focused on her and noticed both her and Inigo looked distinctly uncomfortable, and not the 'I have social anxiety and this sucks' uncomfortable. "My fiance is expecting me back this evening." That alone told me just what this lord had suggested and I stepped forward, a hand dropping to my blade. I noticed the jacketed girl did something similar and Inigo reached his hand back towards her.

"Now, now, don't be like that," the lord replied. He stepped forward and grabbed Olivia's arm. "I'm sure he'll be quite understanding."

"I think he's going to see you dead, actually, but that is part of what we're doing here anyway." And Olivia gloriously stabbed the lord straight in the throat with her fan. Because the fan was actually a very clever dagger. "Er… oops…" She looked at me guiltily. I just grinned. "I'm sorry. I should've waited."

"I think stabbing someone planning on forcing himself on you is a perfectly good reason to go off the plan," I replied. I couldn't wait to tell Basilio about this. "Though, we _are_ in a bit of a fight." There were, after all, guards. Not many, since the lord hadn't expected danger, but… "

"Oh, they're staring…"

"You kind of killed their lord." And they were preparing to attack. "Olivia, you might want to duck away, unless you're confident in using that dagger in a real fight! And you two!" I glanced at Inigo and the jacketed girl as I drew blade. "Hide or fight. Your choice, but make it quick."

Olivia, of course, ducked away. I didn't see where. I didn't see what Inigo I focused more on making sure the soldiers focused on me. I made sure my back was to a pillar and focused on having them come to me. That was a bit of an advantage to fighting alone, providing you could take advantage of the environment. Like watching their strikes and timing it so that they'd hit their comrades instead. Blocking and countering. Swinging around the pillar so that they missed and overbalanced themselves. If there were more guards, then this would be difficult, but any reinforcements they had were… well, they were hopefully busy. Otherwise, Olivia and I were in trouble.

Actually, I was honestly in trouble anyway. I was still not quite at my full strength, mostly because I had been too damned tired to do much of anything, and I was feeling it badly. I was tiring far sooner, and could feel my limbs aching from the strain. I could keep going, but I was definitely fading faster than I wanted. I got in my kills, of course, but the last two were proving rather difficult, particularly the lance user who was very insistent on going after my less armored legs.

"Sorry, but this is your last dance!" However, that guard went down in a veritable explosion of blood, revealing Inigo, who wielded a sword with practiced ease and whose dancing outfit was splattered with gore. "Oh, goodness, I suppose I should've asked if they wanted to dance first," he joked, still smiling. I found myself focused on how he gripped his sword and how he stood at the ready. They were like mine. "Ah, this is a little… um… d-do you mind not staring?" Unfortunately for him, I did, in fact, continue staring. But this time, I focused much more on his face than I had before. His eyes. Now that I looked, I could easily see Robin in his features. I could see me.

And that just made me smile, a touch bitterly. "You're Robin's son, aren't you?" I asked quietly. "My nephew."

"Oh uh… that does make things easier. That you apparently already know, I mean." He smiled awkwardly and I felt like crying. Because it was Robin's smile, but not the smile Robin had _now_. It was the smile Robin had back when he remembered everything, back before all of this. "Um… you might have heard it before, but my name is Inigo. I'm… very glad to see you again, Aunt Kestrel."

"I taught you how to fight, didn't I?" I gestured to his stance. "I use that one."

"You did! Severa and me. We wanted swords, but didn't want the fancy royal swordsmanship, so you taught us." He laughed sheepishly, looking away. "Not all that good, mind."

"We'll work on it. After this fight." Though there was only one left now. "Let's get this one and-"

Fire magic suddenly erupted from the ground, scorching the soldier into ash. Andin the remains was that pink haired girl I saw, clutching a fire tome. "Whoa, that worked!" she gasped, shaking out her hand. "I mean; of course it… wow, I didn't think that would actually work. Especially when those reinforcements got here… but it worked!" The girl spun towards us and grinned. "I told you the plan would work! Plus, we got money from your performance. Win-win~"

"You literally just said you didn't think it would work, and I'm not sure it was worth my embarrassment," Inigo instantly retorted. I looked around for Olivia and saw her double-checking that the soldiers were actually dead. There were some by the doors, away from me. The reinforcements the girl mentioned, then. They'd appeared sooner than anticipated. "I'm really not."

"Well, I enjoyed myself." The girl giggled and Inigo rolled his eyes. "And, seriously, we made a lot. Or, well, I think it's a lot. I don't actually know. But still!"

"Yes, yes." He ruffled the girl's hair and nudged her a little closer to me. "Morgan, this is our aunt, Kestrel. Aunt Kestrel, this is Morgan, my little sister." He rested his hand on her back and Morgan beamed up at him. Though I saw a bit of worry in her eyes, and he smiled reassuringly. "She was one of the last through, so I think it messed her up a bit. She doesn't remember much of anything."

"She'll get along great with Robin. He lost his memories prior to all of this," I deadpanned. It kept me from wincing. Inigo had to be hurting, and I wasn't sure how Lucina would react. "Ah, but yes, Lucina is with us. Cynthia and Laurent are as well. No others, yet, but somehow, I'm sure we'll run into them before long." I hesitated a bit before reaching up to ruffle his hair. He was Robin's height. "Regardless, let's make Olivia squeak, yes?" I glanced over and saw that she was done checking the bodies and was skipping towards us. "I promise it'll be hilarious.

It was more than hilarious, really. Though I did have to check the windows to make sure they weren't cracked. Her squeaks had been really, _really_ high.

* * *

We left organizing and solidifying the 'takeover' to Say'ri and her people, mostly to make sure it was obvious that we were here to _help_. We were here to deal with Walhart. We were not here to take over or anything. We did have our healers assist, but that was a given. We couldn't stop the healers if we tried, and trying would've been stupid.

"Lucina, don't fidget so much," I chided, carefully brushing her hair. To emphasize our intentions, we made sure to make camp outside the city. I'd decided, once we had settled in for the night, to trim Lucina's hair and now I was trying to finish up. If she'd stop bouncing in her seat. "I'm glad you're excited, but…"

"Ah, sorry, Mother," Lucina mumbled sheepishly. Her attention, however, was fixed to the other side of the campfire, where Robin interacted with Inigo and Morgan, going through his books. His reaction to meeting his children had been hilariously awkward, with him tripping over both his words and his feet. "It looks like they're discussing strategies. Tactics. It might be tactics. Inigo is very good at tactics. Not strategy, though. He wasn't very good, and left that to others."

"Do you want to join in?"

"No, I wouldn't want to intrude." She smiled sweetly and glanced back at me. "Morgan barely got to know him. He was just starting to teach her when everything went wrong."

"Seems like everything is happening much faster in this timeline." I didn't like that. If we had more time, than maybe the Shepherds could figure out a different path. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm doing better. I get to be with some of my friends. And look, this time, it's family!" She giggled and looked over to the group of three again. Olivia, I knew, was helping Gaius cook, or she'd be here. "I'm surprised Morgan made it, though. She'd actually been missing for a few weeks. I thought she'd died."

"But it's her."

"Oh, definitely. Same scars and… well, her personality is bubblier. But the amnesia probably helped with that."

"...It did with Robin."

"I noticed. The Uncle Robin I knew was much quieter. Sadder. Looking back, it was like he longed so desperately for something, but thought he could never have it."

"Makes sense." I knew what it had been. Happiness. Normality. The things we had right now and… well, that I felt guilty over. If I weren't so scared, I could… but I… "Hold still."

"Oh, oops." She stopped fidgeting and sighed, still smiling, but something slightly sad about it. "I wonder where Victoria is. I miss her. We were never apart from each other long."

"You're certain she made it through."

"She was right behind me. I looked. Laurent and Cynthia confirmed that she'd gone in after me." Lucina looked over to where Cynthia was happily listening to Frederick telling a story and where Laurent studied with Miriel. Sumia was patrolling with Cordelia and Cherche. I, as usual, had no idea where Kellam was. "Maybe at the next place. We've seem to be rather lucky on that."

"We have." I glanced towards my tent, where Chrom, Say'ri, Flavia, and Basilio were discussing the next move. "We're visiting the ruins. Any of your friends interested in that?"

"Interested? Only Laurent. But still…" Lucina laughed. "Maybe I should've traveled to Valm sooner. It's easier to hide in and there's more chances to help people, both of which would appeal to my friends. Though, Cynthia and Laurent had actually been somewhere in the desert hunting for something before trailing us."

"Do you know what?"

"Nope. Laurent won't say." She sulked a bit, and I finished with brushing her hair before braiding it back to sleep. Ends slipped out, of course, since it was layered, but it served well enough. "I… ah… hope that everyone is at least coupled together or whatever the proper term is by the time we find them."

"At the moment, there's only two potential couples who are not official in our group." I only had to look up to see Lissa and Henry napping together, and… well, honestly, I wasn't sure if Virion and Cherche were 'official' or not. It didn't seem right to ask. "I'm sure they can keep quiet if not."

"Might be hard. Cherche's son rides Minerva, and my dear cousin isn't the most subtle of people." She made a 'quiet' motion and grinned. "But keep that secret?"

"Of course." But I did see why she was worried. "You know; there's a place called Wyvern Valley to the south."

"I could see Gerome being there." Lucina suddenly gasped and started bouncing again. "Ah, Father! Are you done for the day?"

"Thankfully, yes," Chrom answered, walking over with a smile. I silently scolded Lucina for moving, _again_ , and finished up her braid. "So, Kestrel?"

"Yes, dear?" I replied, more focused on my task. However, a flower soon appeared in my vision. "Hmm?"

"You wanted a flower." His smile warmed and I blushed, remembering. Lucina giggled, watching us with sparkling eyes. "According to Say'ri, irises represent hope, faith, and wisdom." He tucked it behind my ear and I had to smile. "I thought it might help."

"I appreciate the thought." I still wasn't certain, but it did touch me that Chrom was trying. And it was beautiful. "I am a bit sad we couldn't just enjoy the festival."

"We'll enjoy one when all this is over." He sat down next to me and rested his head on my shoulder. "Lucina? How does that sound?"

"Wait, me too?" Lucina asked, pointing at herself. Her face fit up when Chrom nodded. "Oh, I've always wanted to go to a spring festival! Is it true you dress up like bunnies?"

"I… well, you can wear rabbit ears, but…" Chrom began. He frowned a little, but then smiled sadly. "Oh, whatever. Here, I'll tell you about Kestrel's first one."

"Really? Yay!"

Lucina listened with rapt attention, and I continued brushing and braiding her hair. It was a strangely content moment, and I wished time would just stop so that we could live out the rest of our lives, just like this. So that there was no chance of Grima returning or anything… gods, I was so tired. But I kept believing in them anyway. I had to be the stupidest person in the world.

* * *

 _Notes on Laurent:_

 _Class - Mage; Reclass - Barbarian, Dark Mage, Knight, Thief, Priest_

 _Son of Miriel and Kellam, arriving from the future. Like his mother, he speaks as if he's swallowed a thesaurus, but he is much more personable. If rather naggy about everyone, since he seeks to use his knowledge to help people, instead of studying them simply for knowledge's sake._

 _Because he learned defensive techniques from his father, and quietly strove to protect the others much like his father did, he actually does rather well defensive wise, for a magic user. Still, his preference is blasting enemies apart with wind magic._

 _According to Inigo, Laurent is actually the third eldest of the group, being born a year after Lucina and Victoria. Libra has been quietly informed of this fact, since the ways things are going, it's quite possible Miriel is, or will be, pregnant soon. Destiny has its ways, after all._

* * *

Author's note: So, this chapter is based, a bit, on Paralogue 6, where Inigo is recruited. It also pays tribute to the Performing Arts event in Fire Emblem Heroes (to be specific, Olivia and Inigo's performance outfits are the ones from there, as is Olivia's fan being a hidden dagger). Some dialogue here (like the whole rolling a ham down the stairs thing) comes directly from the paralogue, while Olivia's critique comes from her A support with Inigo.

For convenience, I had Morgan join here as well and arrive in the future through a similar method as the other children. Inigo has black hair because, as mentioned before, Robin was born with black hair. It turned white after a failed Awakening attempt, prior to his mother escaping with Kestrel and him.

Also, as a repeat… I have to write this story slow for mental health reasons. Kestrel is a difficult character to write, because she is depressed, traumatized, and, more importantly, more than a little suicidal. Please do not send me repeated messages of "update soon." or "why the hell are you not updating THIS story?" and the like (yes, these are actually messages I have gotten, more or less in their entirety at that). I guarantee you that it won't make me update faster. If anything, it makes me update slower, because it puts additional pressure on me. I will continue to write this, at a pace that is safe and enjoyable to me. If you want to try and 'make me update faster'? Write a nice comment. In fact, whenever you review a story (ANY story, not just mine), write a nice comment. It'll make the author smile and be a little more eager to continue. (Go on and write nice comments on all the stories you particularly like. Their writers will LOVE it; I promise).

Next chapter - Noble Lineage (Paralogue 7)


	33. Chapter 18) Noble Lineage

Chapter 18) Noble Lineage

* * *

 _And so, after picking up my nephew and niece, we continue our journey to the Mila Tree, past the 'Grand Gate' to the Shrine Ruins. Most call it Mila's Shrine, but honestly, no one actually remembers if it's hers or not. They just know Mila did once have a shrine, because it played such a huge part in the Founding of Valentia and those records managed to survive the Schism, and Grima's first rise._

 _A shrine to gods, though… I can't decide if it's appropriate or inappropriate that Robin and I go there. Or if it doesn't even matter. I don't know. I'm tired._

* * *

There was something just 'different' about the area around the ruins. Like someone had taken the time to insure it would remain pristine. Or maybe like, if you were quiet enough, you could see the ghosts of the former gods walking through. I didn't like it. It reminded me a lot of the catacombs where I'd lived before Mother saved Robin and me. It also gave an air of 'silence', that you had to be _quiet_ , so the normally lively Shepherds talked in hushed voices. To not 'disturb' things. But it disturbed me. They were raucous and loud and I loved them for it.

"Kestrel?" Robin's voice drew me out of my thoughts, and it took a couple of blinks to realize I'd stopped walking. I hadn't noticed. "Hey, is everything okay?" he asked me worriedly. I looked around and saw the others walking ahead. "Do you need a break? I'll carry you."

"You're not strong enough for that," I replied. Still, I smiled. "But yes, I'm fine. Just a bit lost in thought."

"If you're sure." He still studied me worriedly, but eventually smiled back. "Well, this is as good of a time as any. I've been wanting to apologize."

"...For…?"

"For any accidental dismissal I did of your feelings." He looked so serious. I almost wanted to joke to try and lighten the mood. "I thought I understood. I thought I understood the stress of having a child from the future appear out of nowhere, because uncle and imagination. But it's so much worse than I thought. I didn't understand at all."

"Ah." Well, that wasn't what I expected. And, I couldn't deny how vindicated I felt. Thought that was the word, anyway. "So?"

"And I've thought, after everyone has gone to sleep, about how my future self failed. He failed to protect these most precious people. And knowing, _knowing_ , that I played some part, that if destiny has its way, I _will_ play some part in their lives being utterly destroyed…" He paused, groping for the words he wanted. "I thought I understood. And I didn't. So, I wanted to apologize. I wanted to apologize for assuming I knew something, and speaking as if I did."

"I see." I did have to laugh, terribly smug now. It had been entertaining seeing him interact with Inigo and Morgan, but now I just… it was probably really mean, but misery loved company. "Well, I know it wasn't on purpose."

"Doesn't matter." He scowled a little, like he could tell I wasn't quite taking this fully seriously. I mean; I was, but I wasn't. "That all said, I wanted to revisit a conversation we had. About 'taking ourselves off the path'."

"Ah. That." I sighed and leaned against the wall. The stone was worn smooth by time, so it wasn't uncomfortable. "What about it?"

"Well, while I can admit it's a viable tactic, now, I'm not sure it'll change things, especially the way you think it will." He paused. "But I do want to reiterate that I finally understand why it's an option and why it's something you considered. And not just because… I'm sure it's the stress. The problems. All these things I wish I could take from you, but know I can't. And I'm sure it's also because of the past I can't remember that makes you think that's a potential option. But, maybe because I don't have that past, I can think from… mmm…" He growled a bit in frustration. "Ugh… words. Words. Words, why do you fail me?"

"Because you're talking around things?" I was curious about his point, though. "So, why not try to simply be simple instead of constantly explaining and trying to be reassuring."

"Right, right." He sighed. "Okay. So, our mother only had two children, yes? You and me?"

"Yes, I told you this."

"But she wasn't the one with…" He held up his Branded hand. "Our father was. Not her."

"Yes?"

"And you also mentioned we could have half-siblings. From our father."

"Yes?" It took a moment longer, but I did, finally, catch his meaning. "Oh." I had… I had been thinking that we were the _only two_ , even as I told Chrom the Hierophant, Hawk, might have been another 'sacrifice' to Grima. But there was nothing that said that another imperfect vessel hadn't been born. There was nothing that said another imperfect vessel hadn't been kept, in reserve, in case they couldn't birth a _perfect_ vessel. "I'm an idiot."

"You're traumatized. You're used to certain paths in your thoughts, and when stressed, run down them because even if they're painful, you at least 'know' the way. But that's what we're actually able to help with." He smiled, proud of himself. "We can't stop you from having the paths, but we can help you find the others!"

"...You've been talking to someone about this." I gave him a droll look and he sulked. "Seriously, you did. You had to have. You're bad at stuff like this."

"So, I might've asked Flavia and Libra for some help. I didn't mention our lineage and all, but you know…" He shrugged. "And Inigo and Morgan appearing… that's what got me really understanding. I thought I did, but with my amnesia, I do come up short on a lot of emotional things. Thank everything that Olivia is willing to put up with it. But I could finally understand your point of view, and from there… perhaps because we went through the same things, I have the same paths in my thoughts. But because I no longer have context for so much of it, I can see the others more clearly. Or maybe it never affected me as much." He paused suddenly. "Hey, was _what_ I like?"

"That's a random subject change." Though, I was a bit grateful for it. I was kicking myself for not considering the obvious. "Well, what you were around me was different than how you were around others. You and I always understood each other far too well. Still, I let myself remember. "Quieter. Sadder. More like me. Quite willing to die, but wanting to at last see our father dead first. Not wanting to leave me alone with the burden."

"And then I _did_ leave you alone. Because I somehow lost my memories." And for a moment, he looked so guilty about it, even though it wasn't his fault at all. But he soon brightened again. "You know; that didn't happen in their timeline. Me losing my memories, I mean. Inigo notes I'm much happier, bolder. More willing to actually talk about what I'm feeling." He grinned. "Different!"

"We'll see if it continues, I suppose."

"Aw, I was hoping that would make you a little more cheerful." He frowned, clearly thinking. "Let's see… okay, definitely missed something. There's something else bothering you. What is it?"

"You're going to badger me until I spill everything, aren't you?" I rolled my eyes when he went right back to grinning. "Fine, fine. Yes, there _is_ something else. Apparently, in that future, you disappeared the same day Chrom died." I smiled sadly at him. "And also, my future self was one of the last, if not _the_ last…" I sighed. "So, I'll admit that scares me. Losing all of this… I'd honestly rather die than lose everything, Robin. Not when…"

"...Oh." He pulled me into a hug then. "I am the worst big brother. I didn't even _think_ about how that would mess you up."

"Well, I didn't talk." Like Chrom said, I was inclined to hide. I was still… I was still used to running away. "So…"

"We'll do better. Slowly. We'll talk more. We'll rely on the people here more." He rested his cheek against my head, and I gently hugged him back. "And I _will_ find a way. Just watch."

"Okay." And the words were more comforting than they had been before. Maybe it was because Robin understood more. Maybe it was just the reminder that it wasn't all on us two. "I'll keep having faith in you and the Shepherds." Because if anyone _could_ , I knew it was these crazy people. I still wasn't quite convinced, but… but I did feel a little better. I did feel a little more hopeful. Just a little. "Prove me wrong."

"What brothers do best." He laughed. "We'll be fine."

"I hope so." And that was the best he was going to get. But he knew that, especially now. "I hope so."

* * *

Robin and I had to jog to catch up, and really only did because Frederick and Sumia rode back to make sure we were okay. Meaning I got to fly with Sumia for the first time in a while, and honestly, get to spend time with her, just her, for the first time since the ships. And it was glorious and I realized just how much I _missed_ things like this. It also made me consider just why it had been so long, and turn… well, it helped me actually parse out one of the things that had been so, so overwhelming.

Children ate up a lot of your time. That was why you had to be prepared for such a commitment. And I was, with my baby girls. Having our older children appear out of nowhere… it was difficult. It was difficult, because of the time you had to invest in them. It was difficult, because you had to learn, on the fly, how to even _be_ a parent. To top it off, our children were all traumatized in different ways. That meant trying to adapt to their 'quirks', the things they developed in an effort to protect themselves in an absolute hellscape of a world, on top of everything else. It was stressful. I loved them, and I wanted to protect them, but it was incredibly stressful. A few months ago, my biggest concern parenting wise had been making sure my girls didn't eat something they shouldn't, like a ring, and that their diapers were changed. Now, though… even ignoring the whole 'must save the world thing', I had to deal with my very traumatized daughter. I had to support her, listen to her. Things I was willing to do, of course, but also things I had always assumed I'd have more _time_ to figure out.

"Ah, this is exactly what I needed!" Sumia laughed. Even as I'd been woolgathering, she and I had been gossiping about books, focusing on the Ribald tales simply because that made us laugh the most. "I've been so overwhelmed recently."

"You too?" I asked, resting my chin on her shoulder. This really was nice. "I'm guessing Cynthia?"

"Yeah, much as I hate to say. But I have no idea how to actually be a mother, and Frederick and I hadn't even _talked_ about children before all of this. We were just enjoying being together, married." Sumia sighed heavily, and I made some sort of sympathetic noise. "Plus there's the stories Cynthia has apparently heard…"

"Such as?"

"Smashing through enemy lines to save a stricken Chrom!"

"Well, I'm not sure it was quite 'smashing through enemy lines', but you did save him on the Feroxi border."

"Oh. Right." There was a noticeable moment of silence. "Argued with Chrom and slapped him in the face?"

"You didn't really _argue_ , but you did that weird fist-slap thing with your gauntlet after we had to leave Emmeryn."

"...Right, I _did_ do that…" Now she whimpered. "W-well, went into a bloody frenzy and downed friend and foe alike?"

"Okay, now that one hasn't happen. Yet."

"Hey!" Sumia twisted to scowl at me and I laughed. "Oh, whatever. Point is…"

"They do have a bit of hero-worship, don't they?" That was another thing that… well, 'bothered' wasn't the right word, but it was the closest I had. Lucina thought the world of Chrom and me, and I was keenly aware of my flaws. Of my own selfishness. "I feel like I'm a step away from slipping and ruining…"

"Ruining their perception. I _want_ to be the mother Cynthia looks up to, but at the same time, I know I can't. For one thing, I'm so much younger. For another, I still can't take two steps without faceplanting in the mud."

"Hey now, you've gotten better!" I looked down, noticing that we were ahead of the army. I didn't let Sumia know, though. Dangerous as it might be, it did add to the sense of relaxation. "But I get what you mean. I have to hide how scared I am, how worried…"

"Because you're the parent, so you _have_ to be the strong one. You have to reassure them. Doesn't matter that they're technically the same age as us." She sighed. "It's just… it's not something I expected. I don't blame them in the slightest, but…" But they did bring complications to our lives. Things we were desperately trying to adapt to, while being in the middle of a war. And dealing with the knowledge that if we weren't careful, then everything was going to be destroyed. "Frederick is handling it _so_ much better than me."

"Frederick babysat and more or less raised Chrom and Lissa." Frederick did have to adapt to being a parent to his _own_ child, and was probably still reeling a bit from having this new life and happiness after Emmeryn died. But he had some parenting experience, at least. "Plus, you've seen how he mothers all of us Shepherds."

"That's true." She laughed a little. "That is very true."

"Hey, mind if I join?" Cordelia suddenly swooped near, apparently back from her patrol. "It looks like both of you could use some fun gossip?" she teased, laughing. Both of us laughed too because she was right. "Like, say, how Lissa kissed Henry last night?"

"Oh, how _scandalous_!" I gasped, purposely making my tone as dramatic as possible. It got more laughs. "Now, should I confront her or pretend I don't know?"

"That _is_ a good question." Cordelia hummed a bit in thought. "Maybe wait. For now."

"A few days?"

"Yes, just to see if, you know, it leads to an actual couple or…"

"Ah, yes, a very fine point."

"That does remind me, though," Sumia mused, giggling a bit. Yes, this was exactly what we needed. "Speaking of couples, and ones that we're not sure on…"

"Cherche and Virion," Cordelia instantly deadpanned. And we were all right back to laughter. "Those two…"

"Gods above, they're definitely close, but like… I can't figure out if it's romantic or not!" Sumia rolled her eyes. "I mean; they look like they'd be a lovely couple, but Cherche just smiles when I ask."

"You asked?"

"I wanted to know!" She sulked and I actually nearly fell off the damn pegasus because I was laughing so much. "Ack! Careful!"

"Well, I hope that if they are one, they don't find out through the children arriving..." Cordelia sighed. "Gods, such anxiety… I'm honestly terrified of how mine turned out."

"Oh?"

"I know that if there was a war, I would've fought in it. It's my duty, and I would want to keep things safe." Cordelia looked down. "But that would mean I died in battle, likely. Gods know how that might've hurt my child, and that's just… it's just the worst feeling."

"It is." Sumia also drooped, saddened. "I know my future self would've wanted to spend so much more time. But the way Cynthia acts, I probably died when she was little. We probably all did."

"Not me apparently," I whispered. It hurt to say, especially when we had been so cheerful just seconds ago. "According to Laurent, my future self raised…"

"Oh no," Cordelia whispered, knowing well just what that meant. And knowing how I felt. She still felt guilt for abandoning her unit. "That's…" She urged her pegasus near Sumia's so that she could hug me. "That… you know, he's normally tactful. I wonder why he thought it was a good idea to say that."

"To be fair, I took him off-guard." I sighed, feeling strangely lighter at having admitted to that. Maybe my hiding tactic… maybe it had just been making things worse. "But enough of such subjects."

"Yes, let's find something…" Cordelia paused and leaned down, frowning. "Why is Maribelle waving at us?"

"Why is she even this far ahead of the main army?" That seemed a more important question, or at least it did until I heard the sounds of battle on the wind. Sumia tensed in front of me, hearing the same. "Ah. Well then."

"We'll go ahead. I'll let Maribelle know."

"Thank you."

Sumia and I flew ahead, though Cordelia caught up to us very quickly, and soon, the three of us came across a dense collection of ruins, and the battle within. I dropped down onto one of the pillars left behind and climbed down so that Sumia and Cordelia could fight without having to worry about me. Those two decided to make a dramatic entrance, pulling a double hit and run to take out a couple of archers and scatter the enemy. I was a little more subtle, more focused on helping the civilians into the largest intact ruin, where there was actually cover. Inside, I noticed someone had already set up an infirmary here, a young boy with black hair and rough appearance who clearly knew what he was doing.

"Stop with the fussing before you get it infected and make it rot," the boy snapped at a young girl who was digging into the bandages on her leg. Despite the harsh tone, his actually mannerisms was gentle. "Then it'll _really_ hurt. But keep it covered like this, and you'll heal. Won't even scar." He waited until she nodded and then he nudged her towards someone. "No you go and get a hug. Healer's orders." He smiled when she left and then turned, no doubt looking for the next patient. And then looked right at me. "Uh… hi?" He awkwardly waved at me. "The name's Brady. I'm guessing you're here to… you know… actually help?"

"Well, we can deal with the bandits," I replied. I looked around at the civilians, and saw how adoringly they looked at him. He must've been working on them for a while. "Seems like you're already helping them, though."

"Nah, just patching them up." He shrugged and actually walked over towards me. "Can't do anything to protect them. Not really."

"And yet you're probably the strongest person here." I smiled gently at him. He simply stared back, like I'd really startled him. "All I can do is kill, really. Sure, I protect people, but I do it by hurting others. Killing others. A warrior is only useful when there's fighting. A warrior can only keep people safe if there's danger. But a healer? A healer saves people. A healer keeps people safe by tending to their wounds. It's easy to kill. It's not that easy to patch something back together. Gods know I'm terrible at it."

"Uh… er…" He coughed and looked down, as if that would hide his sudden blush or the tears in his eyes. "Damn it. Don't say… I'm sentimental!"

"Not sure that's the word you want." Still, I had to laugh a little. "So…" His sudden yelp alerted me to danger, and I barely had enough time to block the axe aimed for my head, and even then, I did it poorly, so it slid off my gauntlet instead to scrape up my upper arm. "Well, that's rude."

"Here!" Brady, however, had the injury fixed quickly. "That's… uh…"

"See?" I smiled at him and turned towards the enemies coming towards us. "Anyway, Brady, you do what you need to do. I'll keep you safe. We all will."

Been a while since we fought bandits. It was honestly a little… I didn't know. But it was nice, to not fight zealots. Bandits would eventually run away.

* * *

The others arrived before long, and I could tell I wasn't the only one 'happy' to just be fighting bandits again. Everyone fought with a sense of purpose, secure and sincere that we were doing the right thing. Or something. It could just be me, because fighting bandits was just so… 'normal'. It was 'normal'. It wasn't a war. It wasn't zealots. It was just people. And maybe it was bad to be glad about it, but… well… it was nice to pretend things were simple. Even I couldn't overthink this. ...Mostly.

Taking a break from the fighting, I rolled my shoulders, grimacing as I felt the lack of stamina hit me, again. I'd need to talk to Frederick to get my strength back up because this was ridiculous. I had to at least pull my own weight, and I simply wasn't used to tiring so quickly. I mean; I was still better at fighting than the bandits. Barely. But it was still irritating to not be at my best. We were in a war, and I was less than useful. Not helping my self-esteem issues.

Sighing, I fixed my ponytail and looked around in an effort to keeping myself from diving headfirst into self-pity. However, there wasn't much to look at really. Just battle, battle, battle. Blood, blood, blood. Corpse, corpse, corpse. Only exception was inside the biggest ruin, where the civilians were being protected and tended to. Now, inside, I did see I wasn't the only Shepherd taking a break. Maribelle apparently was as well, and she was talking-arguing with Brady about something. I wasn't quite sure over what, too far away to hear, but I did notice something that confused me. They actually held themselves very similarly, though I saw Brady adjust his posture in the like, as if he was purposely mimicking Maribelle. It was a little odd, because Brady hadn't done that with anyone else.

That said; the oddness left my head when I realized neither was paying attention to the nearby 'door', and an enemy just appeared there, rushing inside. "Maribelle!" I yelled, about to run for them. But it turned out to be unneeded because Lon'qu decapitated the attacker literally a split-second later. "Never mind." I should've known he'd be near. Lon'qu was rarely far from Maribelle during a battle.

"Glad to see someone in here was paying attention," Lon'qu grumbled, nodding politely at me before focusing on Maribelle. And looking very done, more so than usual. "Do you mind holding off the squabbling until after things are calm? Gods, I swear you've given me ten heart attacks already."

"I'm sorry, darling," Maribelle replied with a sweet and sympathetic smile. She then leaned up to kiss his cheek and Lon'qu immediately went cherry-red. "Shall we return to the main battle then?"

"...Yes." Lon'qu smiled fondly at her and bowed slightly to Brady before leaving, Maribelle close behind him.

Brady watched them leave with a small, fond smile before turning back to the injured. "Right, back to the grind," he murmured, rolling his shoulders. It sounded like he was thinking aloud. "And, thank everything, they're not turning into Risen while I work." And that was when I put all the pieces together.

"Say, Brady," I began, heading towards him. He looked up at me curiously. "You're like Lucina, aren't you? One of her friends?"

"Oh, you do know about that." He smiled faintly, bitterly. "Yeah, I am. Bit pathetic, right? Child of-"

"As I said, you are probably the strongest one here." I hesitantly ruffled his hair. His nostalgic smile hinted my future-self had done this too. "Now, if you're worried about, say, stamina and health, we can address that. But strength? The strength to heal people, even while knowing you could never save everyone, even in a hellscape like where you lived… I couldn't do it." I could barely take what I had _now_. "Maribelle and Lon'qu?"

"Yep, I'm their only son."

"I see." I studied him closely and did note the resemblances. More Lon'qu than Maribelle. "Well then…" Knowing that Lucina would want to know about this sooner than later, I looked around to try and find someone to be a messenger. By sheer coincidence, Cynthia flew over then. "Cynthia!" I waved to catch her attention, and pointed to Brady when I had it. "Can you-?"

"Brady!" Cynthia, however, immediately flew down, hopped off her pegasus, and tackle-hugged Brady. "Yay! You're okay!" Cynthia cheered, laughing. Brady flailed about, desperate to not fall. "Was a bit worried. You always get to into the healing thing and forget to watch your own safety."

"Don't need to year that from you, miss hero," Brady immediately grumbled. Still, he smiled fondly at her. "So, you're here. Lucina is here. Who else?"

"Well, there's Laurent. Laurent. He and I actually met in a desert and then trailed the group." She bounced on her toes, excited. "Ah, and Inigo and Morgan are here!"

"Morgan is?" Brady smiled. "Good, she did make it. Wasn't sure…"

"I know, right?" Her smile faltered though. "Oh, but Morgan has amnesia, so be careful when talking to her, okay?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, she doesn't even remember losing her pegasus, and you know how devastated she was about that."

"Yeah, that's…" Brady nodded, wincing in sympathy. "Part of me is jealous, because gods there are some bad memories, but most of me is glad. She was really breaking, those days before she disappeared. I mean; we all were, but…"

"She couldn't even smile anymore." Cynthia looked down sadly. "We would try everything we could think of, but she couldn't smile." Then she shook her head roughly and bounced on her toes, regaining her energy. "But regardless, I'll get the others, okay? Be prepared for hugs! We're going to squish you!"

"Please don't. I like my insides where they are."

From there, I decided to simply be a dedicated guard for the infirmary and, before long, the last of the bandits actually fell, with their leader captured. Brady immediately went to properly introduce himself to Maribelle, and I lingered near because I knew how tactless Maribelle could be. However, I decided to leave them to their privacy when Maribelle started crying and hugged Brady tightly. So, instead, I walked over to where Chrom was standing a distance away. Flavia and Basilio were taking a group to secure the perimeter, Say'ri was talking to the saved civilians, and Robin… well, for some reason, someone decided he was best suited to question the leader.

"There you are, my love," Chrom murmured, catching my hand to kiss it. I blushed and looked everywhere but him, noting that Lucina was watching us with a grin not far away, before laughing at something Morgan rambled at her. "I was wondering where you were."

"I stayed near the infirmary," I explained, shrugging. I smiled shyly at him, though a bit bitter. "I need extra training from Frederick, it seems. I'm really not recovering my former strength easily."

"He'd be delighted to help. Though you should clarify that you're not looking for the fanatical fitness… whatever." He smiled gently when I laughed. "You looked lighter, though."

"Ah, have I lost some of the leftover baby weight then?"

"I… er…" Chrom coughed and I Iaughed again. "Not what I meant."

"I know." But it was rather amusing to see him squirm. "And I know I have anyway. But continue?"

"I lost my trail of thought completely." He grimaced, and I continued to giggle. "Ah, now I remember. You just… you seem like you're doing better again. Like the world isn't so heavy on you."

"We'll see." But I did have to admit that I felt better for the moment. "Could go right back to how I was. But I did have some fun prior to the battle."

"Gaius brought up recently how the children have been taking up a lot of our free time. Makes it harder to actually talk with our friends." He kissed my cheek. "We should do better in splitting our time. I can't imagine that's helped."

"Probably not." I did feel overwhelmed still. But managing my time might help with that, just a little. "We'll muddle along. That is, if…"

"Next words better not be 'if you're willing', because there's no 'if' about it." Chrom kissed me sweetly. "I swore my devotion to you, in sickness and in health. I know things like this will be a lifelong struggle, but hey, you have to deal with my issues as well. That's part of being married. We're partners."

"That we are." I giggled, amused and touched. "Now then, fun as it is to flirt and banter with you, who's idea was it for Robin to-?"

A flicker of movement. It was just the barest flicker of movement. But I saw it just in time, and dragged Chrom down as three knives flew over our heads. One knife hit the bandit leader in the throat, and he died with a gurgle. The second missed Chrom's head by a hair's breadth, and only because I dragged him down. The third thudded into Robin's shoulder, making him gasp in pain, falling to a knee even. Everyone was instantly on alert, wondering just who had done this. Who had we missed? Who…?

"Well, this is disappointing. I truly expected your defenses to be so much better." The slow, low voice, with the barest hit of a Rosannean accent, drawled from the top of one of the ruined pillars. "Rare that I overestimate a person." The woman speaking was difficult to place. She wore a form fitting outfit, of various shades of black to make it harder to spot her in the dark, along with a long jacket, complete with a hood that covered all of her hair, and knee-high boots. "A passing grade for the queen." She also wore a belt with various knives and vials, each one looking decidedly lethal, even when secured. "And a fail for the exalt and the tactician." The strangest thing about her was the black and silver mask she wore, one that covered her upper face to the point of hiding her eye color. "Truly disappointing. I expected a little more of a challenge."

"Sorry to disappoint," Chrom retorted dryly, almost snarling with anger. I saw Vaike duck into the infirmary to snag a healer, Frederick and Sumia rush the civilians back inside, and Say'ri running over to us. "Now, who are you?"

"I seem to have a different name for each person who speaks to me," she murmured, completely nonchalant. Even though so many of us were glaring and had weapons trained on her. "If you must have a name, we can go with 'Bellona'. The Chon'sin princess knows of me."

"Aye, I do," Say'ri whispered. Her eyes were narrowed, and she held herself stiffly. "If not for a lucky step to the left, you would have had my life that day, before I even knew of the danger."

"I still could've, Princess Say'ri. I simply chose not to." She smiled slowly, a distinctly vicious smile. "I am skilled enough to get away with such things. Just as I am skilled enough to get away with refusing jobs that I find distasteful."

"Are there any?"

"I am not Excellus. Children aren't exactly sporting targets." It took a second for her implication to process, and I went cold. Given what she just did… "A good thing for you, Exalt. You would not have living daughters otherwise. They are still safe, though. You've very good guards." The implications of _that_ nearly made me collapse. "Very good ones. I barely got inside myself. I can assure you that no others will make it."

"That's quite the fast trip then," Chrom growled. I shakily grabbed his arm, to make sure he didn't charge. "That's a distance."

"You talk as if you're the only one with boats, or access to fliers," she scoffed, with a slight smirk. "Besides, I was in Ylisse prior to the attack in Ferox. I was curious how close the others would get, and prepared to interfere if need be."

"Interfere?"

"As I said, I find killing children distasteful. I was just curious in how well your defenses were. I was so impressed there that it carried over to here." She shrugged and crouched down on the top of that broken pillar, looking over us. "Though, I'm not here for any of you. This was just a little greeting while I dealt with the deserter turned bandit." She nodded to the dead bandit leader. "I apologize for not arriving sooner to deal with him. I understand civilians lost their lives to his greed. Quite the tragedy. Civilians shouldn't be caught up in things like this."

"If you truly feel guilty, then why are you fighting with Walhart?" Chrom tried to pull from my grip, but I held on tightly. I was too scared to look anywhere besides Bellona. Just in case. "With his conquests and all…"

"Because, Exalt, working with Walhart helps me further my own goals. Perhaps we might be allies once he is no longer useful. Or perhaps I will cut you down myself. Would be easy, as I just proved." She chuckled, but it was a hollow sound. "You should be more wary of your surroundings, Exalt. Belief and bonds are not all powerful forces. It would be a shame to leave your wife a widow, and your children, fatherless."

"You're giving a lot of advice, for an assassin."

"I'm simply buying time to better show the consequences of charging forward recklessly." Her smirk grew. "Exalt."

"What are you…?"

Feeling uneasy, I glanced over at Robin and froze when I saw that Robin… Robin seemed to be in _excruciating_ pain, and the blood seeping from the wound didn't look right. It didn't look red. Instead… instead it looked black…

Basilio, bless him, was at his side the instance he saw the black, removing the dagger and pulling back Robin's coat and shirt to look at the injury. The veins around the injury were slowly blackening, screaming just what was going on. Poison. It was poison. But what confused me more was that… because we were Vessels, Robin and I had some resistance… immunity… whatever… to poisons. Robin was a 'perfect' Vessel, so it was more pronounced with him. It was nothing I'd gamble with in particular, but Robin _had_ in the past, and survived. So, I was startled not just by 'my twin is poisoned', but also by 'there is a poison that _worked_?'.

"See what I mean?" Bellona mocked. Libra burst out of the infirmary to run for Robin, immediately tending to the injury. "Healing magic won't purge the poison. You'll need the antidote." She hopped down from the pillar and rather casually walked over to retrieve her knives. Her path was immediately blocked, though, by Flavia and Gaius, weapons in hand. "I don't carry the antidote on me, though I do know it. Killing me is rather counterproductive."

"...Let her walk through," Chrom ordered quietly. He glanced at Libra, and I saw Tharja and Henry also near, frowning at the wound while Libra tended to it. "Unless one of you knows it?" Sadly, all three shook their heads. Panne and Nowi joined the group, likely to see if they could smell something, but they, too, shook their heads. "Then in exchange for knowing the antidote, let her walk through."

"My, how sweet."

"Save it." Chrom bit out the words. "One false move…"

"If I wanted you dead, you'd be in the afterlife already, and your wife would be crying bitterly over your remains." She retrieved all three knives without a fuss, pausing only to look at Robin's wound herself. "Now then, for that, you'll want to make a mixture from water and the crushed leaves from Mila's tree." She climbed up to the top of another pillar, out of reach for most of us. I saw Virion tracking her closely, one arrow at the ready. Tharja and Henry both had their spells prepared. So did Ricken, Miriel, and Laurent. And up above, I saw Cherche, Cordelia, and Cynthia ready. "But you'll want to hurry."

"Because, poison."

"And because Cervantes has arrived at the Mila Tree, intending on breaking through the last defenses of Naga's Voice and setting the tree aflame." She chuckled again, amused. Say'ri, however, froze from shock. Apparently, she hadn't considered this possibility. "Really, they should've already fallen, but their defenses were bolstered not long ago by a strange pair. A member of the thought-to-be-extinct rabbit taguels and a manakete dragon." All of us glanced at Panne and Nowi at that, and then at the children we could see. Their wide eyes said everything. "Both doing quite the good job reminding everyone why both were feared. But they are only two, and Walhart does want the tree burned."

"Why?"

"Because this is an age of man, and thus, there is no need for relics such as gods. Or so he claims." She scoffed, and I got the impression she was rolling her eyes, though the mask hid that. "A god might be nothing to a nonbeliever, but that doesn't mean the nonbeliever is correct. Or capable of surviving that god's wrath."

"You…" Chrom growled in frustration. I heard quite a few others echo his sentiment with their own curses. "You're not making sense! Why are you…?"

"It's a cult. His followers worship him out of fear or because they believe him greater than any god. I think them fools. Hence my advice to you. I'm only with him because he makes it easier to advance my own goals. I'm sure, in time, he will be useless to my purpose. I might even help you kill him. Maybe." She shrugged. "Regardless, you'll want to hurry. The tree is large and will take time to burn, but it seems you know the two newcomers as well. They will not survive long. Neither will your tactician. The poison does seem to be moving slower than typical, but I wouldn't want to gamble on that continuing."

She left then, jumping from the pillar and darting around one of the ruins. Gaius, Lon'qu, and me immediately chased after her, coming across a staircase and running down them. Only to find a sprawling mess of caves and catacombs, and not a trail to be seen of Bellona. So, wincing, we climbed right back out. If you didn't know the path, only a miracle would keep you from getting lost. So, instead, we informed the others that she had successfully escaped, and we all decided to push forward towards the tree. We fretted over Robin, but Chrom then just carried Robin on his back, after Libra did everything he could.

Well, there went _that_ good mood.

* * *

Even while sleeping, Robin was in incredible pain. He flinched, whimpered, and groaned, and we had to actually bandage his hands to keep him from clawing into the wound. Olivia was beside herself with worry, sobbing even as she did her best to make him as comfortable as possible. Everyone took turns helping her, adding it to our camp chores easily.

"What this poison is baffles both Henry and myself," Tharja murmured, fingers digging into her arms from sheer frustration. She and Henry had an extensive knowledge of herbs for their curses, but whatever poison this was, it was something they couldn't identify. "It eludes healing magic, based on what Libra says. Nowi thought about trying dragon's blood, because of old stories about healing properties, but…"

"Putting another person's blood in the wound seems a little counterproductive," I whispered. She and I were by Robin's tent, peering inside worriedly. Morgan was fast asleep by Robin's bed, and Inigo was quietly trying to get Olivia to sleep as well. "Ah, what a mess…"

"We'll keep looking." She sighed, and ran a hand through her hair. "Annoying. This is annoying. I hate being out of my depth."

"Better hope you don't meet your child soon, then." I said it jokingly, but it felt flat. Her slight smile told me she appreciated it anyway. "I'm rather scared by what this poison is."

"You should be, since we don't know anything about it. We're lucky the girl swung by to play and _only_ to play." Tharja's eyes narrowed. "That said, if she comes to 'play' again, I think I'll play along. With a withering curse."

"Tharja!" That did make me relax, for some reason. "Make sure you get some sleep."

"I will. Gaius watches for my health quite well." She looked at Robin again and then back at me with a surprisingly kind smile. "He will be fine. We _will_ cure him."

"I know. Thank you." I smiled back, and kept it up even as she left. However, when she was out of sight, I let it fall to look at Robin again. At Olivia, who was sobbing. At Inigo, who was doing his best to keep on smiling. It was painful to watch. It really was.

"Mother?" Lucina tentatively crept closer, eyeing the tent warily. "How… How is Uncle Robin?" she asked quietly. In response, I just nodded to the tent and she looked in herself to see all of it. "Oh."

"He'll be fine," I whispered. I truly did believe that. After all that agonizing, surely… surely, death wouldn't take him. "But it'll be painful for a while."

"You always reassured me that you and Uncle Robin were hard to kill." She laughed, but it was tearful. "That had been some of your last words to me, actually. I was being stubborn and refusing to leave."

"Well, it _is_ true." I wondered just what happened to my future self. If she went out to fight Grima… had she become some sort of 'general', like what the Grimleal wanted of me? Had she become a Risen? Had she been obliterated? I was almost morbidly curious. "Though, I'll be certain to not charge ahead and leave you behind, if I can."

"Thank you." She smiled so warmly, so sweet, that my heart broke for her. "You know; I never knew Walhart threatened the Mila Tree."

"Really?" That was curious. It also made me curious about what else she knew about this war with Valm. "So, it's fine in your world?"

"Oh, no. Flowers and greenery have been mostly wiped out in my time. Healing can only be done with healing staves. I'm sure Brady is going to jump on the chance to learn medicinal herbs." She laughed like it was a joke. I felt my heart break further. "No, the Milla Tree was burned in my time too, but it was the Grimleal and a few years after Grima's return."

"Now why would they do that?"

"Some of the Valmese refugees said that it was because Mila's presence made it difficult for Grima's forces to move. Her divine protection still lingered and made it hard for Risen." She became thoughtful. "Supposedly, there was a clutch of survivors still in Valm, near the Ingle, because it too had protection. But we could never confirm that, and…" She sighed. "Well, it doesn't matter. We could perform the Awakening."

"Right, because of…" I paused when I realized something odd she said. "What did you mean by 'gemstones'?"

"Huh? Oh, you don't know." Lucina sighed and tugged at the hair by her face. "There's gems that go into the Fire Emblem or something, and without all of them, the Awakening Ritual won't work. There's one in there now, but the others are scattered."

"I see." That was interesting, and not something I ever knew. "Which one could you not get?"

"Sable. It's in Plegia." She smiled bitterly. "The one in Plegia's vault was a fake, sadly. A beautiful and well made fake, but a fake nonetheless. You can't do the Awakening Ritual properly without all the gemstones. Just a partial that gives a mere fraction of the power." She looked down at the Falchion on her belt. "Four was enough to summon Naga, though, and go back in time." She shook her head roughly. "Ah, that's enough sad talk, though. We _will_ change things." She looked so determined, and I could only smile sadly at her. I still wasn't sure. "And I'm glad we have Brady again, but now I'm worried even more for Victoria. Though, knowing my luck, she's back in Ylisse, wondering where in the world _I_ am."

"Or fretting because she knows you're fussing too much, Lucina." Inigo stepped out of the tent, smiling tiredly. "Mother is finally asleep, so I'm leaving to do the same," he explained at our curious looks. "But seriously, Lucina, Victoria is no stranger to working alone."

"Never this long, though," Lucina pointed out. She bit her lip and fidgeted with her hands. "And that was still against Risen primarily."

"True, but her specialization in our group was sneaking behind enemy lines to gather supplies or rescue people." Inigo laughed, and it was surprisingly warm. "Knowing her, and given how bad things are, she's probably doing exactly that for the civilians here."

"That's true." Lucina smile warmly, grateful for the words, but the worry remained. "But she's bad at straight combat, and she never wears armor, so if she can't get out of the way in time…"

"Which is why she hides. Probably another reason we can't find her. Being out and about would expose her to a lot of danger, and there's no convenient Brady near to help when she can't dodge."

"Exactly. I really had hoped she'd be with him. She's always getting hurt."

"All right, all right, you're just going back and forth and we really shouldn't disturb Olivia and Morgan," I chided, nuding them away from the tent. We passed Libra on the way, heading in for another shift with Robin. "Worrying so much isn't going to change things." Of course, I never took my _own_ advice for that, but it still felt appropriate to say. Even if it was hypocritical. "We've some hard marches ahead of us. So, to bed, both of you. You'll need your rest, same as the rest of us."

I ended up walking both to their tents and afterwards, I made a point of checking in on everyone to make sure they were okay. It took longer than I anticipated because they all wanted to make sure _I_ was okay. I'd been rather gloomy and reticent lately, and now, Robin was poisoned. They were worried, and honestly, I almost cried because it was just so nice to be loved and reassured. I told them that I was fine, simply overwhelmed by everything, and got hugs in response. Virion even made sure I had some relaxing chamomile tea before leaving to retire for the night.

Chrom, however, was perfectly silent when I entered the tent and changed into my nightclothes. He sat on the bedroll and stared at some spot on the ground, not looking at me at all. "I'm sorry," he whispered after a long moment. "Robin… it's my fault he…"

"Funny. Gaius thinks it's his fault," I replied, folding up my dirty clothes and tucking them in the corner. Gaius had actually apologized twice when I'd done my rounds. "Same with Basilio, Flavia, Say'ri, Frederick…"

"Yes, but…"

"We all made a big mistake, Chrom. We knew Walhart had assassins, yet we hadn't prepared defenses for them." I turned to smile at him, but he still wouldn't look at me. "She was odd. If she wanted to kill us, she could've. She very specifically chose not to, for whatever reason."

"Yeah…" Chrom sighed. "I wonder if it was a mistake to charge into Valm as we did. If we should've turned back once we had destroyed their navy."

"It's not like we had a lot of options." We were attacked, twice over. "We were…"

"Played perfectly?" He finally looked at me, smiling wryly. "You think we fell for a trap."

"I think Walhart has, and is dragging us into it."

"You think it's the Grimleal. Because of the Grima thing."

"I do." I braided my hair back, knowing I wouldn't have much time to brush it in the days to come. "I think the Grimleal want Walhart dead to prevent us from making an alliance."

"Walhart doesn't exactly seem the type to make alliances."

"Ah, that is true." Then in that case… "They wanted us out of Ylisse, then. Or they wanted us to deal with Walhart before he became a 'problem'." Or maybe it had something to do with those gemstones. If there were some in Valm, then maybe they were using the chaos to hunt them down.

"Great, so we're in a trap, can't get out really, and… and…" He sighed and pulled his knees into his chest. "What scares me the most is that she apparently knew where the Eastern Palace was. No one is supposed to know the exact location."

"The Grimleal probably told, because I doubt that traitor's information stopped with Gangrel." Which was another worry. The Grimleal… if they hurt my girls, I… gods, I knew I'd give myself up for them. Even knowing it would doom the world, I knew I couldn't sacrifice them for the world. "Worse, though, is that…"

"There's nothing we can do. Because we charged ahead." Chrom smiled wanly at me, visibly drained. "I should've…"

"You know; I fell in love with you, reckless loyalty and all." I smiled warmly at him. Maybe it was because he was the one depressed, but it felt so easy, so natural, to say these words. "I still believe in you. I'm not sure that destiny can be deterred. I'm uncertain whether we can change our fates. But I believe in you, even though I don't believe in myself. Which also means that even if we charged, and even if we're in a trap, I still believe that this path isn't wrong, and that if it is possible, you will find a way to that happy ending where both of us are back in Ylisse, with our girls, living a joyful life."

"You…" He regarded me finally for a second before effectively pinning me to the bedroll with a searing kiss. "Ah, how am I supposed to stay self-pitying when I have you near?"

"You don't." I laughed and tugged him into a hug, letting him rest against me. "Robin will be fine. It's hard to kill us. Grima likes his… sacrifices… durable. More me than him, but he's still hard to kill."

"It's like a role reversal." He laughed as well and shifted so that he wasn't quite crushing me. "So, you're feeling better?"

"Just a little." But even that little was wonderful. "Robin and I had a better talk, as I said. Though, I'm still not certain it _is_ possible."

"But you'll continue to believe in me, believe in us, until we give up." He sighed and leaned up to kiss my neck. "I love you. Don't leave me."

"...I'm not planning on it." I wasn't. That was probably the best part. That little bit of knowledge that the weight of the world likely wasn't on _just_ Robin and me… that made me feel a little lighter and a little less… it made me feel like I was a little less selfish, to want to continue to live. "I love you too."

"Thank you."

We talked about lighter things, like how Lissa did kiss Henry and Chrom's comical, half-asleep protests. We talked about how much we missed our little girls. We talked of how we hoped things were running smoothly. We talked of little pranks the Shepherds had pulled on each other. Little things, things that helped us relax and made it easier to nod off. We had to get our sleep. As Bellona proved, this would not be an easy campaign. We had known that. But it was going to be worse than we expected, and we had to keep our guard up.

We weren't surviving this otherwise. And then the Grimleal really would win.

* * *

 _Notes on Say'ri:_

 _Class - Swordmaster; Reclass - Assassin, Falcon Knight, Dark Flier, Wyvern Lord, Griffon Rider_

 _The Princess of Chon'sin, and one of the main leaders of the Resistance here in Valm. Though many distrust her because of her brother, Yen'fey, just as many respect her for her forthrightness and genuine sincerity._

 _A talented swordmaster, though surprisingly, she's not as fast as Lon'qu. That said, she's much better with defensive maneuvers, and in a pinch, she can dual wield. Though she prefers a single blade for ease, and to lessen the costs of repairing and replacing._

 _She used to be quite close to her brother, and it completely baffles her that he would sacrifice his honor, and the honor of Chon'sin, to serve a tyrant like Walhart. The only possible explanation she can think of is that, like Virion, Yen'fey chose to do so to protect his people, but Say'ri questions the wisdom of sacrificing one's neighbors to save one's self._

* * *

Author's notes: Before we get into fun stuff, once again, please don't pester me with 'update soon please' or 'update soon finally'. I've already stated, multiple times, why this story has to be written slowly. Please, stop sending me these sorts of messages and reviews. I will delete them. You are not entitled to have chapters at the cost of my mental health and comfort. Please and thank you. Now then, for the 95% of you who don't do this because you're polite and good people… sorry, that was probably mean and cranky, but you'd be surprised what I've still been getting. (I am hoping this is the last time I have to bring it up.) Regardless, time for proper notes.

This chapter is based solely on Paralogue 7, recruiting Brady in the process. Have a few introspections about things, and have a new character. Bellona has no counterpart in the game at all, but I made her specifically to have a 'proper' assassin enemy, especially since I did establish that Excellus, at least, utilizes assassins liberally and given certain threats the enemies use later. And because there are few things more terrifying than an assassin who has had time to prepare against you and poison is just so underutilized in Fire Emblem games, being a status condition cured by a restore staff (though, fun fact, Awakening doesn't _have_ a Restore staff). If you want a better visual for her outfit, look to the Tellius games' assassin garb, but with a hood and mask instead of a scarf and ninja-mask thing that covers the nose/mouth.

The cave/catacomb thing Bellona used to escape is because, based on location, these shrine ruins are actually near Duma's Tower (not the Mila Shrine, which was _much_ further south), and there was that passageway/cave-system thing that connected Duma Tower and Rigel's castle. Sumia complaining about stories Cynthia has heard comes from their supports. Morgan formerly having a pegasus is a nod to her Heroes incarnation. (And her Future Past version, where she had a wyvern)

Lucina doing a 'partial' Awakening is an explanation for why her Parallel Falchion is more powerful than Chrom's. It's confirmed through the Future Past DLC and the Drama CD that the kids secured only four of the five needed gemstones. I couldn't find 'which' gem they couldn't secure, but decided that for this story, Sable makes the most sense.

Next Chapter - Naga's Voice (back to the 'normal' chapters)


	34. Chapter 19) Naga's Voice

Chapter 19) Naga's Voice

* * *

 _Robin has been poisoned by the assassin Bellona, apparently Walhart's most skilled assassin, though she's apparently known for being 'whimsical' about her targets and jobs. Just our luck she decided to play, or at least pretend such. But she gave up good information, the location of two more of Lucina's friends and the knowledge that Walhart was trying to burn the Mila Tree, and all who took sanctuary within._

 _Gods above, I do not like being played so well. But here we are._

* * *

The most notable thing about the Mila Tree was its sheer size. Large enough to stretch up towards the clouds, and then you had all the twisting branches that just added to the size. Helped, of course, by the fact that the tree was always in bloom. It always had bright green leaves swaying in the breeze. There was always _some_ sort of flower or fruit blooming. Supposedly, in times of famine, the Mila Tree would actually grow even _more_ fruit, to help the locals fend off starvation. I wasn't sure if that was true, but I did know that everyone was encouraged to pick the fruit, even traveling mercenaries.

"No matter how many times we saw it, traveling around Valm, we couldn't help but be awed by it," I murmured, running a hand through Robin's hair. Our group had taken a break in order to double-check our weapons and supplies, and I had chosen to sit by Robin while waiting for everyone to finish up. "It was the one place associated with gods where even we felt welcomed." Of course, Robin wasn't conscious to actually talk to me or anything. A couple hours ago, he had fainted and nothing would revive him. He was getting worse. "You're going to be fine." It was rather amazing. I _should_ be freaking out more, but in the face of a crisis, I was just calm. Like my mind had something other than my own problems to focus on, so now, it was devoting everything to that instead. "Just be your normal stubborn self a little while longer."

"I take it that he has not stirred, then?" Virion walked over and handed me a cup of tea. I noticed the teacup was from the set his sister gave him, and smiled. "What was that assassin's name again?" he asked, kneeling to check on Robin himself. Robin, sadly, didn't look well. He was practically see-through, and many of the veins on his neck were black. Some of the veins on his face were turning as well. "Bellona?"

"Yes." I sipped the tea, and my smile grew as I recognized it as lemon balm, the same tea he had given me way back at the Ferox Arena, when we were trying to get an alliance. "Do you or Cherche know her?"

"Cherche has heard whispers, but she apparently made a name for herself after I left." Virion moved Robin's blanket to look at the bandaged wound. Robin was shirtless to make it easier to change. "Ah, he's bleeding through again."

"Whatever this poison is, it interferes with the body's natural clotting." Libra had said that the blood clotted as expected, but the poison would then 'corrode' the scab or something, resulting in it constantly closing up and reopening. I seriously wondered what the hell this poison was. "Here, I'll-"

"No, no, you should rest, my dear. I can change the bandages." Virion sat down properly and pulled the fresh bandages over to do just that. We kept an entire medical kit by Robin, just in case. "The next battle shall be difficult without our tactician. This Bellona certainly did a good job crippling us."

"It makes me wonder all the more why she didn't _kill_ any of us."

"I'm curious as well. My best guess is that she really isn't Walhart's ally, so much as they are mutually using each other. Which, admittedly, is exactly what she said, but one shouldn't assume that an assassin is telling the truth." Virion easily began changing the bandages, cleaning the injury for good measure. Robin didn't so much as twitch. "I have never seen him so still."

"Neither have I, truthfully." I went back to my tea, and looked out at the Mila tree. Everyone else was milling about, and a few gave me worried looks. I smiled to reassure them, and they smiled back, a little strained. All of us were worried about Robin, and the next battle. "There's multiple stories about the tree's origins, yes?"

"There are three main stories about it." Virion tied off the fresh bandages and pulled the blanket over Robin again. "Some say that it marks the graves of both Mila and Duma, despite the name, and were once two trees that later intertwined. Others say only Mila is buried here, and Duma is buried at the Ingle that shares his name. Still others say it is only their hearts here, while their bodies are at the Ingle."

"I wonder how one buries a god." How did one _kill_ a god? It was probably some dramatical license of the tale, but it was still the one consistent thing about the tale of Valentia. "I had another question."

"Yes?"

"Is it 'Saint-King' or 'Emperor' for Alm? And similar for Celica?"

"Depends on the version." Virion moved to sit next to me. "Technically speaking, they're all correct. Emperor Albein Alm Rudolf II and his wife, the Empress Anthiese Celica Lima, rulers of Rigel. Queen Anthiese Celica Lima and her husband, King Albein Alm Rudolf, rulers of Zofia. Saint-King Albein Alm Rudolf I and Queen Anthiese Celica Lima, rulers of Valentia."

"I suppose it's not helped by so many details being lost thanks to the Schism."

"That too. It's a miracle we know as much as we do. Even then, we could've interpreted things _extremely_ wrong."

"Shame, really." I wondered if there were answers in the past, like 'can one actually change fate?'. "Hey, how's Olivia doing?"

"Maribelle is doing her best to cheer and distract her, but she is very tired and very drawn." Virion looked to Robin. "I fear we won't see her bright smile and energizing dances until Robin awakens."

"Of course." I wasn't sure how much Olivia had slept. Every time I had checked on Robin over these past few days, she had been awake, tending to him. "Chrom blames himself."

"All of us blame ourselves, I am afraid. We were too complacent." He smiled at me, though, and it was only a little strained. He worried terribly, just like the rest of us. "How are you doing though, my dear?"

"Surprisingly, I seem to be okay." I finished off the tea, and smiled wryly. "I'm frustrated. I'm annoyed. But Robin and I have been just as close to death in the past, and made it out." I supposed it was also just… after all the agonizing, and all the reassurance, it felt 'wrong' that he would just die. "Inigo and Morgan? I know Lucina and Chrom are sparring." Lucina was frustrated by how helpless she felt. Chrom offered to help her at least work out the frustration in a semi-healthy way.

"They went on a walk, actually. Inigo and Morgan, I mean." Virion frowned. "Then again, it has been a bit and I think they left the camp."

"If you don't mind sitting with Robin, then I'll go look for them?"

"That sounds like a plan." He held out his hand, and I handed the teacup to him. "Take it easy, though."

"I will. Thanks, Virion." I smiled at him and left, meandering through our makeshift camp.

People smiled as I passed, and a few made to stop what they were doing, but I waved them away and headed out of camp, walking along the edges and hunting for my nephew and niece. Which was still a _very_ odd thing, but it didn't feel as overwhelming as before. I was slowly getting used to it. I was also slowly getting used to the sight of them huddled together, this time at the base of a tree. I was not, however… well, I was sure there was a witty way to connect the two, but frankly, I felt my mind stop when I got close enough to listen into their conversation, because Morgan apparently didn't have amnesia.

"I miss my Ophecia so much…" Morgan mumbled, leaning against Inigo. Inigo stroked her hair and murmured something comforting. "I see Cynthia with hers, and I'm so happy she's still has hers, and gods, Sumia's is so pretty and Cordelia's is so cool, but I miss _mine_."

"Of course you miss her," Inigo replied softly, pulling Morgan closer into a hug. He smiled kindly, yet sadly. "It was a big loss. And she died so painfully."

"The Risen… they just… they just ripped her apart…" Morgan covered her mouth, but there were no tears. I wondered if she felt ill at the memory. "They should've gotten me too, but she struggled to get me to safety, even when…"

"I know. I remember."

"And then after that, I saw… and then…" Morgan shook her head almost violently and she jerked her head up. Then she gasped, her other hand also covering her mouth as her eyes widened. "Aunt Kestrel!"

"Huh?!" Inigo half-stood, thought better of it, and then sat back down to pull Morgan protectively behind him. "What are you doing out here?"

"I was looking for you two to make sure you were doing okay," I replied, crossing my arms. I studied them for a moment, and then I sat down in front of them. "Morgan, you saw Robin, didn't you? After your Ophecia died."

"I… yes," Morgan replied, startled. She and Inigo shared a dumbfounded look. "How do you…?"

"First things first. Why are you lying about the memory loss?" I decided to act as no-nonsense as possible, and so, gave them my sternest look. "I am assuming there is a good reason for it, but you are hurting your friends with it. And your family."

"I… well…" Morgan hid more behind Inigo, or as much as she could considering the tree behind her. "Um…"

"It was my idea," Inigo revealed. He held his head high, almost defiant. But I saw the fear and worry in his eyes. "So that the others didn't press her about where she'd been."

"B-because I had been with…" Morgan tried to explained. Her voice cracked and she hid her face in Inigo's shoulder. "I attacked…"

"Easy, Morgan." Inigo instantly softened, hugging Morgan and patting her back. "It's not your fault."

"But I _chose_ …!"

"You lost your pegasus, who are partners and best friends, and you had been fighting a long and brutal war, and _then_ you saw your thought-to-be-dead father," I summarized, knowing from experience just where these sorts of arguments went. It hurt my heart that Morgan had to deal with that sort of self-hate. "Yes?" Morgan nodded, still hiding in Inigo's hug. "I agree with Inigo in that it's not completely your fault, but I can understand why you think so nonetheless. You did make a choice, but I wouldn't call it an informed one."

"See? And we know Aunt Kestrel is always right," Inigo told her, grinning victoriously. Morgan made a face, and I wondered where the hell he got that impression from. "But how did you know about…?"

"Robin and I have always known that Grima could use us as Vessels. It's what we were born for. He's a 'perfect' Vessel, and I am an 'imperfect'." I touched the back of my left shoulder, where my Brand was. "Both of us have the Fell Brand on us; you can see it on Robin's hand. He has a secondary mark on his chest, over his heart, that marks him as the 'perfect' one." I sighed and let my hand fall to my lap. "Robin is… mostly aware now. I've told him." It was strangely easy, telling them all of this. Maybe it was because they already knew. "It's possible we have half-siblings that are potential Vessels as well. The Grimleal has been painstakingly adjusting the family line for a thousand years for this purpose."

"That is… that is so beyond creepy, actually." Inigo grimaced, and Morgan looked a bit ill. "I mean; I am grateful. I like being alive, even if it's kind of been a living hell. But still."

"Creepy." I leaned forward slightly and smiled at them. "So? How did you two learn? And who all knows?"

"Just Morgan and me. Lucina does _suspect_ Father, because we always learned that Uncle Chrom had been betrayed and Father…" Inigo sighed. "But she doesn't _know_ , and she'd prefer to not think on it. Like me, like all of us, she's hoping there is a way to solve this with minimal deaths and sacrifices."

"Robin hopes that as well." And I hoped he'd prove my pessimism wrong. "I know how Morgan learned. What about you, Inigo?"

"When…" Inigo hesitated and looked down. "When you bought us time to escape, I had gone back to get something. It was very quick, but it meant I was around longer. So, I saw you and… and Father fighting. But it wasn't him at the same time. I managed to put it together from there." He looked up hesitantly at me. "I didn't tell the others. I worried it would shake their resolve. Though..." He looked sadly at Morgan. "It did hurt you, to not know."

"You were only thinking of what was best. It's not your fault I'm an idiot," Morgan retorted. The easy self-hatred was so hard to hear. "And when I saw him, I just… I wanted that comfort. That safety. Even though logically, I knew it was stupid. And logically, I knew something was wrong, I…"

"You are here now, fighting to protect everyone," I interrupted gently. I leaned over to stroke her hair and then I smiled. "You don't need to worry about me telling anyone. I simply ask that if things get too difficult, for either of you, that you seek help and comfort."

She stared at me for two blinks before she broke down in tears, throwing herself at me. I hugged her as she sobbed, patting her back. Inigo, after hesitating a moment, moved so that he was sitting next to me and rested his head on my shoulder, eventually dozing off. I stayed where I was, doing my best to reassure them. I knew, after all, the heavy burden of knowing 'the truth' and feeling unable to say anything. It was the least I could do for them.

* * *

There was no way to hide that Morgan had been crying. Her eyes were puffy, she had a horrible headache, and she was terribly snotty. When we returned to everyone, I lied and told them that Morgan had simply been crying from worry over Robin. Inigo backed me up with a smile, and everyone fussed and cooed over them both. Lucina in particular stuck close to Morgan, holding her hand and doing her best to cheer her up. Morgan smiled back and clung to her. I worried about how she felt, but that was probably something I should leave to her parents, once we had a good break. Because now certainly wasn't the time to fret about my niece's poor self-esteem and previous breaking. As soon as we got close to the roots of the tree, we were battling.

I prioritized keeping an eye on Olivia, who insisted on fighting despite everything. When we broke through the lines, I ducked back with her to help with moving the healers' infirmary, and Robin. Robin was still completely unconscious, hanging limply when I picked him up to carry him. I would set him up once we stopped again, and then go out to battle alongside Olivia. Lather, rinse, repeat.

"I wonder if this is how the Shepherds fought back before Robin and I joined," I murmured, pulling Robin onto my back. He didn't make any noise, and only his shallow breathing told me he was still alive. "This is way more defensive. Then again, we are at a disadvantage." We were fighting on the literal roots of the Mila Tree, which were easily large enough to support a person. In fact, many were large enough to support _horses_. However, these roots were surrounded by unexpected deep waters, meaning that a slip could easily lead to drowning. Not to mention how the Valmese forces were pretty secure in their footing and the like, unlike us, _and_ we lost the element of surprise two or three 'lines' of enemies ago. "Has anyone tried to get a leaf for you, Robin?"

"Things have been too chaotic, and there are no fliers to spare to fly up to even the lowest hanging branch," Libra answered tiredly, walking over. I chose against telling him that I hadn't actually expected an answer. I'd just been talking at my twin to feel better. "Plus, our 'helpful' assassin neglected to mention just how this antidote is used." He checked Robin's pulse, frowning. "Does it go into the wound? Does he drink the mixture? We don't know, and so, we would have to spare a healer to tend to just him when it is administered."

"And with the number of wounded…" I didn't even have to look to know it was a lot. The only reason why the waters around the roots weren't dyed red and pink was because there was so damn much of it. Even then, you could see little pockets, and corpses bobbed up and down. Like… something I probably would want to eat later so I didn't actually want to complete the metaphor. "Hey, Libra?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you mind pulling the healer card and keep Olivia off the field for a bit?" I began walking, and Libra followed since the others in the group were doing the same. I could already hear the fighting up ahead. "She nearly fell. _Her_."

"Of course. I'll go take care of that immediately." His eyes narrowed and he leaned forward slightly to study me closely. "Do I need to do the same with you?"

"I'm actually okay." I smiled and, after a moment, he smiled back. "I still don't have my stamina, but Frederick's exercises have been helping. And…" I looked around, noticing we were almost at the base. Hopefully that meant we were almost at the end of this gauntlet. "I need to be the queen."

"You can be the queen and help in other ways, but I understand. You do look well, and I know your injuries are bandaged and not immediately fatal, so I won't insist." He rested a hand on my shoulder, right over one of those bandaged injuries. Most were shallow. "Just promise to fall back if you need to. You were going through some mental strain before all of this."

"I promise." I winked. "And I'll drag Cordelia too."

"Good. She pushes herself too much." He smiled finally and nodded to a larger spot on the roots. "Here. Let's set up Robin, and then I will grab Olivia."

"You got it." A strangely loud roar caught my attention, and I looked up frowning, because it was different from Nowi's. It sounded higher, younger. My eyes widened as I saw another manakete in the distance, and I knew it wasn't Nowi because the scales were pink instead of the yellow-green that Nowi's were. "I think we found Nowi's child."

"Then we must be close." Libra's smile faltered. "I wonder…" He shook his head. "No, never mind. Now is not the time."

"I'm here for you and Cordelia if you need to vent." I knew well the stress of having you _child from the future_ appear out of nowhere. "Remember that."

"Of course."

We got Robin settled and I lingered just long enough to confirm that Olivia would be resting. Then I pushed through the battle to head towards the front, heading for where I had seen the pink dragon. It was difficult, because the Valmese were fighting with a near-possessed fervor. It reminded how I hated zealots. Almost as much as I hated nearly getting my head kicked off by a taguel. But, to be fair, the taguel in question wasn't Panne and likely hadn't even seen me.

" _Ah! Please don't stab me!"_ The taguel, shapeshifted into his rabbit form, in question sounded much younger, male, and scared out of his poor mind. His fur was also darker, and the armored bits I could see were blue. " _I'm… uh… wait, hold on…"_ His form was wrapped in light before shrinking down to a more humanoid form. "Kestrel?" he asked, tilting his head. I smiled, laughing a little. "Oh, wait, shoot, that's got to be-"

"You must be one of Lucina's friends, yes?" I asked. Without thinking about it, I reached up to ruffle his hair, noticing that it was actually multi-colored. Most was the same dark shade as his fur, but there were some parts that were the same color as Stahl's hair. I wondered if there were any children beside Victoria and Morgan who didn't inherit their father's hair color. "You must not have seen her fighting. I was heading to the pink dragon. Friend of yours?"

"Yeah, Nah." He smiled hesitantly when I frowned. "Her name is 'Nah'. I know. She's the first to be frustrated by it. I'm sure Lucina is already with her. She's one of our youngest, and then looks even younger."

"Let's go check on her then." I began walking and gestured for him to follow me. "You okay, by the way?"

"I… uh…" He yelped at a loud noise nearby, two heavily armored units crashing into each other. It took me a moment to realize one was Kellam. "I don't like fighting. I don't like being close to death."

"Yet here you are. That's quite brave." I smiled and he looked down. "Come on."

"Um… yes, ma'am."

Yarne stuck close to me and, amusingly, hid behind me whenever someone attacked us. At least, I found it amusing, because Yarne was easily bigger than me. But there was also something sad about it too, the way he twitched at every noise (and even noises that I couldn't hear because his senses were far sharper) and the genuine fear in his eyes. This was someone who was hypervigilant and probably anxious to the point that he barely functioned. I knew both things well, so each time there was a moment to breathe, I made sure to smile reassuringly at him and wait for him to calm down again before we continued on. It felt like the least I could do.

When we made it to the front, there was a calm portion where Cynthia was hugging a small girl with braided pigtails and pointed ears. Near them was Lucina, Brady, Laurent, Inigo, and Morgan (who was acting adorably confused). Almost immediately, though, Laurent looked over and waved. "Yarne!" he called. Yarne bounded over and got a hug. "Nah was worried. You two were separated."

"This battle has been a mess!" Yarne complained. He smiled, though, and I stepped back, not wanting to get caught up in their reunion. Lucina did catch my eye, and smiled brightly. "Nah, how are you doing? I know you've been cracking under the strain…"

A flicker of movement caught my eye, and I turned to see an archer aiming the group. But before I could shout a warning, the archer went down with a dagger through the neck. I looked up and barely saw a figure wearing black clothes of various shades and a silver and black mask before said figure disappeared. And, instinctively, I knew it had to be Bellona. She just saved… but why? What the hell was her goal? Destabilizing Walhart's forces from the inside or something? Why go through that sort of trouble, though?

"So, you've made it this far, Exalt!" Not that I had any time to determine that. Some distance away, Chrom was apparently facing off with the enemy general. "Well done!" the general laughed, brandishing his axe. I winced when I saw how heavily armored he was, since that meant Chrom might need help getting through his defenses, so I made my way towards him, cutting down people as I passed. Though I did just kick a few into the water. "I am Cervantes! See how my mustache moves in the wind!" ...I sincerely wondered if he hit his head.

"Are you trying to pretend you're stupider than you are to get me to let down my guard?" Chrom asked dryly. He held himself stiffly, and I wasn't sure if it was due to annoyance or pain. "Because considering everything…"

"Ah, darn, you're smarter than Excellus. Then again, that's not actually much of an accomplishment." Cervantes smiled briefly, barely visible thanks to his beard, before his expression hardened. "So then. Shall we?"

"Will you at least tell me why, first? Why are you doing any of this?" More like 'why did my husband make small talk with enemies who were trying to kill him?'. I supposed it was Emmeryn's influence, trying to ending the fight with words first. "What does this achieve?"

"Do you even need to ask whelp?" Cervantes scoffed. "Emperor Walhart is destined to this world!" The statement was so ridiculous that I nearly fell off the root and into the water. Which would've been bad because I was almost there. "His mind is beyond common man's grasp!"

"So you don't even know what you're fighting for?"

"I tend to my own beard, boy." Cervantes rolled his eyes and tried to attack. Chrom parried him, though. "A soldier does not question orders! He gives his loyalty, and maybe his life, in the service of greater men!"

"How is living to conquer so great of an ambition?!"

"What could be greater?" Cervantes laughed. I just facepalmed. "I once dreamed of commanding a nation myself, but Walhart? He dreams far bigger! He would rule the entire world! Mine is nothing compared to the moxie of the Conqueror!" He leaned forward slightly, eyes glinting. "Have you not tasted the thrill of being part of something bigger than yourself?"

"Not at the price of inflicting cruelty, no." Chrom glared banefully at Cervantes, and the raw hatred there made even me step back. Cervantes rocked back on his heels. "You're no better than my father, pressing your will on people just for your own self-importance!" Chrom lunged forward, but Cervantes blocked the strike with his heavily armored arm. Cervantes made to counter, but I caught up then, and so, blocked the axe on my gauntlet and countered, catching Cervantes across the face, closer to the scalp. A shallow cut, but enough to make him stumble back and give us some breathing room. "Kes?"

"Ah, so your queen meets us?" Cervantes grinned, ignoring the blood pouring down his face and into his beard. Head wounds bled a lot. "Well met!"

"The feeling isn't mutual," I replied cooly, making sure to stand right by Chrom. Chrom smiled warmly at me. "You're almost too stupid to hurt, believing in an idiot like Walhart, whose ambition far outstrips his sense." I glared. "Commanding armies is nothing compared to ruling a nation. And when Walhart falls, perhaps he'll understand it as he gasps out his last breaths."

"Have I mentioned I love you recently?" Chrom asked, grinning. Cervantes just shrugged, apparently not caring at the insults. To him, we were simply incapable of understanding. Which, admittedly, was true. I couldn't understand this sort of blind zealousness. And I didn't want to. "Shall we, love?"

"Been a while since we fought back to back, hasn't it?" I was actually nervous. "I'll try to not mess you up."

"You're the wind at my back and the sword at my side." Only him settling into a stance, and a serious expression, kept me from blushing. Of all the times to repeat part of his proposal! "If anything, I'm stronger with you."

"Yeah, yeah, let's just start the fight. I highly doubt Cervantes is the type to be sweetened."

We both moved at the same time, automatically flanking Cervantes. However, Cervantes had anticipated that, and sadly our banter gave him plenty of time to prepare himself, so he blocked us deftly. Though him wielding a heavy axe did mean that Chrom and I could dodge with relative ease. Of course, it being a tomahawk did mean that Cervantes had some range compared to us, but his slow speed meant that he couldn't take advantage of that. We could close the gap easily.

"Enough of this…!" I hissed, just annoyed by how little damage we were doing. With that annoyance came anger, and I let it. I let Vengeance spark, black flames wrapping around me and my blade. I lunged forward and, though Cervantes blocked it, the flames danced and slipped in the cracks of his armor, causing him to choke on a yelp of pain. "Let's hear your death rattle, shall we?" I twisted so that I could strike him again, but this time, the black flames turned purple-pink and shed 'feathers'. This time when I hit, the flames actually melted the armor, making Cervantes _scream_. "Oops?" I… uh… hadn't expected that second one.

"Your end has come!" Of course, Chrom was right on my heels, so I had to dodge. Strangely, though, his blade shone with green sparkles. Almost like Luna, but… not. And his attack outright _shattered_ part of Cervantes's armor, blood spewing everywhere. A gentle yellow light rolled over over Chrom and knit together his wounds as he held Falchion right at Cervantes's neck. "Surrender," he ordered. Cervantes coughed up more blood and didn't answer. "I'll have my healers tend to you if you do."

"Fool boy…" Cervantes laughed, spitting up more blood. He brought up his arm sharply. "Now, soldiers of the Conqueror! Set this tree aflame!"

"What?" Chrom's eyes widened, and I looked around in fear, realizing something bad. Because of how large the roots were, and how far they spread out, there would… "We're at the base of the tree! If you set it on fire, unless your soldiers jump in the water, you'll burn with it!" As would we. All of our injured, at least, would burn. There would be no way to outrun the flames while carrying everyone. "Are you insane?"

"Why should I fear death? If I die, then it will be in the shadow of greatness and most satisfying!" Cervantes laughed. Smoke was already spiraling through the air, carrying screams with it. A few splashes indicated that some had already jumped in the water, but… "I told you! A soldier gives everything, including his life, in the service of greater men!"

Not wanting to even deal with the madman, I started running, barely keeping from slipping off the roots and into the water, pushing past people to try and reach the infirmary and give what meager help I could. Fire began crackling and popping, and the air slowly began to heat. A couple of paths were already cut off, and knights, on their horses, screamed as they tried to find a way out. Worse, the Valmese soldiers were _still fighting_. They killed those trying to flee the flames. Their mages shot thunder magic into the water, even with their own people there as well, to electrocute those who jumped to avoid the rapidly growing flames. Their archers shot at pegasus knights trying desperately to rescue people. Screams of agony joined the shrieks of panic, melding with the noise of battle for a raucous cacophony that just hurt. The smell of smoke and char began to overwhelm the more typical smells of battle, the blood and death.

A burst of pain, radiating from my left shoulder, made me stumble and I had to flail to make sure I kept my balance. The flailing caused blood to fling all over the place, and I looked to see I suddenly had a _long_ cut on my left arm. I took off the gauntlet and saw it stretched from the tip of my middle finger, across my palm, all the way up my arm… and though I couldn't see the very top part, I could feel, from the pain and the warm wet blood, that it went all the way to the back of my shoulder. And it was _under_ my gauntlet. It was _under_ my clothes and armor. This was not from any sort of weapon. It was like my skin had just suddenly cracked open.

Then there was a voice echoing through my head. Like something was singing. A woman singing, but just a noise with no words. And with that 'song' came an unexpected peace. Relaxation. Like I was listening to my mother hum a lullaby again. At least, until I saw the roots beneath me were _glowing_. And it wasn't just the roots. The entire tree, all the way to the leaves way up above, was shimmering with a pale blue-green light. A light that slowly grew stronger and stronger, though the 'song' remained constant.

Then there was a flash and a red-gold light washed over the battlefield. Then there were screams again, but they were the screams of the Valmese soldiers being thrown… no, being _hurled_ away from the tree, many of them flying through the air. And it was just the Valmese. I remained exactly where I was. My allies remained exactly where they were. And we all watched as the Valmese disappeared from sight, as their screams faded into silence. We watched as the fires just disappeared as the red-gold light passed through them. The smoke vanished.

Then the red-gold light disappeared, leaving only the blue-green light sparkling over the bark, leaves, and water. And leaving us standing on the roots, stunned by what happened. Wondering what just happened.

"...Gather the injured!" I finally ordered, my voice carrying easily through the stunned silence. I probably shouldn't be the one ordering the soldiers, but someone had to get us moving. "And I want a pegasus knight to get a leaf for Robin, please! Leave the dead until _after_ we have all the injured with the healers!"

That got people moving, and some semblance of normality settled over us as everyone fell into their normal post-battle chores. However, curiosity got the better of me, so instead of heading to the healers to be treated for my weird injury, I headed for the area where I had seen Bellona. Because clearly, the smart thing to do after a battle was go looking for a known assassin who already nearly killed you and your husband, and poisoned your twin brother. The phrase should probably be 'curiosity killed the kestrel' instead of 'the cat'. But I headed there anyway, not sure what I was expecting to find.

She wasn't there, of course. That made sense, except for one thing. There was a blood trail. She'd been injured, or at least, someone standing here had been injured. And the blood trail was even paced droplets away from the tree, like she had left _slowly_. Not been flung. Had she left prior to the weird lights? Had the weird lights not dubbed her an 'enemy'? Why had she not killed us?

Argh… nothing made sense. I hated it.

* * *

It turned out that you just rubbed the mixture on the wound to clear up the poison. Robin showed improvements immediately, mostly in that his face gained a little more color and his veins weren't as black, though he still had a lengthy recovery and still was unconscious. But it was a relief for all of us. Especially since, once again, we underestimated our enemy and were complacent. We knew they were zealous, but we hadn't considered that they would be willing to kill themselves if that was what it took to accomplish their goal.

"So, Cordelia reported that Cervantes was being carried by his soldiers?" I asked Chrom as we walked up the stairs. A single staircase spiralled around the outside of the tree, leading up to the very top. Every so often, there were landings that led to bridges, which then led quiet 'houses' among the branches, where the caretakers of the Shrine lived, and where the refugees and fighters had been taking shelter. Many of them had already descended, though, to assist us, but not the Voice. So, we were walking up with Say'ri, along with Lucina, Lissa, Frederick, Flavia, and Basilio. "I'm going to assume he survives, then."

"Probably the best assumption," Chrom replied, sighing. It hurt him to have, once again, underestimated our enemies. If not for two lucky breaks, we would be a lot worse off. And we couldn't depend on luck a third time. "Are you well, though?" He took my hand and kissed it. Lucina glanced back at us with sparkling eyes, though she winced when her smile stretched the cut on her face. "Your injury?"

"You think Libra would let _any_ of us hike up here unless we were well enough?"

"Okay, point." He smiled, and I smiled back, trying to hide my unease as I looked to the bandages on his right arm, easily visible since, like everyone else, he had changed clothes after the battle.

I hadn't been the only one with a weird injury. Chrom suffered a similar one on his arm, also radiating from his Mark. Robin's spiked up his left arm, right from the Brand, and had a secondary one from the mark on his chest. Lucina had one that had actually gone down her face and neck from her left eye. Then she also had a couple of smaller, shallower, but _random_ ones. Lissa had suffered similar, as had Inigo and Morgan. Or, in other words, everyone with a blood tie to either Naga or Grima had suffered an unusual wound that appeared out of nowhere, under all armor and clothes. It was unnerving. I didn't like it. I also didn't want people asking _why_ Robin and me got the strange injuries either.

"Ugh… why are there so many stupid stairs?!" Lissa complained from up ahead. Her voice startled me right out of my thoughts. "Seriously, why?!"

"I think everyone warned you that this would be a hike," Basilio pointed out. Chrom and I were actually in the back of the group, with Say'ri a good couple steps ahead of the front. "Multiple times, actually."

"Grr… carry me."

"Hell to the no."

"Oh, come on!"

The little argument sparked tired laughter from our group, and we continued climbing, bantering about this and that. No one carried Lissa, too dangerous given the staircase and height, but she did stop complaining after a while. Mostly because Chrom 'innocently' asked about Henry, earning squawks, protests, and 'how do you know?!'. It was surprisingly fun, all things considered, especially when Flavia joined in on the teasing with 'tips' for Lissa, and Frederick covering Lissa's ears.

Eventually, though, we made it to the top of the stairs, around the time our legs were absolutely numb and we were dreading the trip back down. Part of me wondered why we didn't take fliers up, but we had just followed Say'ri, who wasn't used to having fliers nearby. But that was neither here nor there. We stepped out onto, surprisingly, onto stone. It was a tiled stone 'floor', like you would see in a normal temple, except we were who even knew how high up. It looked like this had once been yet another branch that twisted up, but then was somehow cut off into something flat. Or something. Regardless, it was stone, with a series of stone pillars in the center, each one bearing some sort of moss or vines. Tucked off to the side was a small stone house, half-hidden by flowers and vines. There were no signs of animal life, but the fighting had likely chased them away.

"Lady Tiki?" Say'ri called. She walked about the small shrine, looking this way and that. "Are you here? Prithee, answer!"

"Ah, Say'ri…" someone yawned. A young woman stepped out from behind the centermost rock pillar, rubbing at her eyes. Despite the innocent gesture sleepily, power clung to her like a robe and there was a strange elegance to her. My eyes scanned her over before noticing her ears were pointed, like Nowi's. A manakete. "You are so loud."

"I am relieved to see you are well." Say'ri smiled before frowning. "You weren't sleeping during the battle, were you?"

"No, of course not. I fell asleep afterwards."

"My lady!"

Deciding that I didn't want to stick around for whatever sort of conversation this was going to be, I slipped away and actually headed for the small house, far too curious. It was as simple inside as it was outside, in terms of furniture and the like. A couple of dressers, a couple of tables and chairs, a closet, a bed. But every bit of free space was decorated with something. Pictures, toys, jewelry, trinkets, books… they were everywhere. On the walls, on the tables… just everywhere. And each bit was fascinating. There was signs of aging on some of them, but each one looked as if they had been carefully tended to and mended with love.

The pictures, however, were what held my attention the most. They were wearing clothes different than what I was used to seeing, for one thing. For another, all of them… well, none of them were stiff sitting portraits. Each one seemed like a scene from their lives, carefully preserved with whatever the picture used. Some were pencil sketches. Others were paintings, both oil-based and watercolor. Still others were inked. Each one was absolutely beautiful and warm, though. Like they could start moving at any moment. I had no idea how long I studied each one of them, picking out all the little details that just made them lifelike, like the stain on their scarves or the faint-faint scars on their hands…

"That one is of Tina, with Luke and Rody." It was, however, apparently long enough that Tiki was done talking to everyone, and was watching me study the pictures from the doorway. Thankfully, she was smiling. "Sorry, Kris, Luke, and Roderick," she continued, walking over. She pointed to the one I had been looking at, of a trio. A girl with blue hair tied back in a ponytail, laughing at a joke or something, with a sword and tome in her lap. A calm and serious boy with brown hair and green armor grinning at something, probably the same joke, with his arms crossed. Another boy with green hair and blue armor, expression hinting to some sort of liveliness, with his hands up like he was flailing with the words. "Kris is more commonly called the Shadow of the Hero-King."

"This is her, then?" I asked, startled. You knew next to nothing about her, and yet, Tiki had a picture of her. "She looks so young…"

"This was during knight training, or so I'm told. So, she was… um…" Tiki paused, clearly trying to remember. "Eighteen, I think. She was nineteen during the War of Heroes."

"Not much younger than me, then." Somehow, though, she seemed younger. Maybe it was because I'd always imagined her as… I don't know… some hardened badass. Not someone who would laugh freely. "What about this one?" I pointed to the picture next to it. This one had a girl with gold-blonde hair braided over her shoulder, talking calmly with a girl with brown hair tied back in a ponytail. The blonde was sitting, sewing a pink dress from the look of it, while the brown-haired girl hovered over her shoulder excitedly, like the dress was hers, or was going to be.

"Diana and Linde. Diana is the Shadow of the Empress."

"Ah…" Again, always pictured as a hardened badass, not someone who sewed. "Are all these pictures…?"

"Yes, they're of the heroes of the War of Shadows, and the War of Heroes. After all, I was a child during them." Tiki giggled at my incredulous look. "I am a manakete. The tales mention a dragon princess, yes? That's me."

"So, you're… over a thousand years old, then?"

"Three thousand. Give or take. However, I have slept for most of that time. Safety precaution while the Emblem is 'broken'." She shrugged, and I wondered what she was talking about. How was the Fire Emblem 'broken'? "However…" She leaned forward slightly, locking eyes with me. It was easy to see her age through her eyes. They were old and weary, but with a spark of determination burning quietly within. "You have it."

"Pardon?"

"You have a power like mine." She straightened, and dread pooled in my stomach. "You are Grima's Vessel."

"...One, and an imperfect one at that." The words felt like mush, dribbling out of my mouth. This wasn't… it was one thing to talk about it with your niece and nephew. It was another to talk about it with a stranger. "How…?"

"You give off a different aura, and radiate quiet power. And I am an old manakete."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"Hmm? Why should I do anything?" She shrugged, and I could only stare. "I sensed it, and wanted to confirm. Curiosity, truly. I apologize for making you uncomfortable."

"No, it's…" I had no idea how to respond. She didn't look older than me, but she definitely was. And she lived through two wars. Maybe even more. Wars where Medeus… a dragon of shadows and earth… "Um…"

"Yes?"

"Is it… is it selfish?" I wrapped an arm around my waist to dig my nails into my other arm. "Is it selfish to want to live instead of sacrificing myself?"

"That's a tricky thing to ask. The easy answer is 'yes'. After all, you are only one person and the world is filled with many. However…" Tiki fell quiet, and I glanced up to see her looking thoughtful. "You could also argue that sacrificing yourself is selfish. After all, it is you saying that your life is not worth the world, ignoring how you could be someone else's world. Sacrificing the one for the many is a tactic you see commonly in life, and it is you declaring 'I will be the one' and leaving your loved ones with the scars."

"Ah…"

"But, really, if you aren't at least a little selfish, then how are you any different from a doll? A puppet being pulled by everyone else's whims?" She smiled warmly, and I tentatively smiled back. "Besides, often, sacrifices are the 'short-sighted' view. The easy way, the obvious way, but not the 'best' or 'perfect' way. That happened during the War of Heroes."

"Did it?"

"Yes." Her eyes unfocused slightly, and darkened with old pain and terror. "During the final fight with Medeus, the four we were trying to rescue were brainwashed. Puppets. And everyone reluctantly concluded that they might have to kill them to defeat Medeus. Worse when we learned that Medeus could devour them to heal himself." She laughed, however, smiling warmly. "Mar-mar… sorry, Marth refused to accept that. And he found a way, alongside everyone else, to save them and the world. No sacrifices."

"That sounds…" I couldn't think of a word. On the one hand, it was amazing. On the other hand, it was the Hero-King. "Um…"

"Then you have what happened here, in Valentia. Humans are always doing weird things.

Ban-Ban and Xaney would tell me about how one of the reasons why my mother, Naga, loved humans so much was precisely because of how regularly they made the impossible possible. She loved them for their creativity, their brightness. The way they never gave up." She laughed. I felt my mind stop briefly at the whole 'wait, she is the _daughter_ of Naga' and then promptly decided to half-ignore it because there was too much else going on. "I agree with her, especially now that I'm older."

"...I want to be wrong…" Unlike before, it was easy to admit it to her. "But I…"

"It's hard to hold onto faith. That you still are shows quite a bit of courage." She walked over then and took my hands. "At least, that's what I think. I'm sure it'll take a while for you to believe that yourself."

"Ha…" And I desperately needed a change of subject. "So, question, if you lived in Archanea, which became Ylisse, then…"

"What am I doing here?" Tiki laughed. "Well, when I slumber, I need wards and the like. After the Schism, and Grima, the shrine here was one of the few remaining places on both continents. So…"

"Okay…" Why would she…? Wait, of course, she would be defenseless while asleep. I was an idiot. "So, are those wards what caused the light show?"

"No, the wards are only up here, at the shrine itself." Tiki crossed her arms, glancing up at the ceiling. I did as well, half-expecting there to be something there. But there wasn't. "I think it might've been Mila and Duma, assisting as they are able."

"As they are able?" Ignoring the whole 'ghosts helping' part. For now.

"Once a manakete dies, and becomes a spirit, interacting with the physical world becomes much harder. They need a physical link in order to do so. That is why my mother cannot simply descend and help anymore. There has to be a link, which is now called the Awakening Ceremony." She looked at the injury on my arm. "For Mila and Duma, however, they used blood. The blood of those connected to divine dragons, and earth."

"Divine and earth?"

"There are, or were, multiple tribes of manaketes. Mila and Duma were… unique, though. They were of two different tribes, Earth and Divine. It gave them very unique abilities, among other things. They were quite close because they were so different." She sighed. "So, if I'm right and it was them, their spirits used that technically shared blood as the catalyst needed to interfere."

"And, so, they protected us?" At first, I thought it was ridiculous, but then I thought of the _Heritors of Arcadia_. There was a verse that specifically stated Mila would protect her people, even after her name was lost. And it _should_ have been… you know… creative nonsense, but… "Providing you're correct."

"Indeed. I could be very wrong." She laughed again, and I realized I was completely relaxed. Despite that air of power, she was relaxing. Maybe it was because she knew everything, and still smiled at me. "If there's one thing I've learned in my long life, it's that no one knows _everything_."

"I suppose so." Perhaps I was relaxed because she was so honest and sincere as well. "So, Grima is of the Earth Tribe?"

"No one knows anything about Grima, but since he has power associated with the Earth Tribe, the assumption is that he has _some_ sort of connection to them. Considering his vast power, he might also have a connection to the Divine Tribe. For all I know, he is like Duma and Mila." She sighed and grimaced, reaching up to fix her ponytail. "Sadly, there is so little information on Grima, and so much is… strange. His sheer size is… no manakete gets _that_ big."

"So, an anamoly?"

"Yes. Perhaps, when the Awakening is performed, my mother can tell us more. As a spirit, she would have access to a _little_ more information. Due to being dead and having time to do whatever she wants." She giggled, and I burst into laughter, surprised by the joke. "However, for now, there are injured to tend to, and warriors who need their rest." She smiled gently and kindly at me. "We should join the others before Say'ri returns and scolds me for lazing about."

"I don't know. That might be fun to see." But I did want to check on Robin, so… "Ah, well. Let's go…" A horrible thought came to me. "Wait, did they walk down?"

"They did." She sighed, whimpering a little. "It's such a long way down, and I just woke up. I am not awake enough for exercise. Does Ylisse not have pegasus knights?"

"We have bunches." I facepalmed, exasperated. Sometimes, my family was very… "Let's just call out to one or two and not kill our legs, shall we?"

"That sounds like a grand, and smart, idea." She smiled warmly, with a touch of mischief. "I wonder if we'll make it back before them?"

Fun note: we did. It was hilarious seeing their expressions.

* * *

 _Notes on Inigo:_

 _Class - Mercenary; Reclass - Myrmidon, Barbarian, Mage, Priest, Tactician_

 _Son of Robin and Olivia, coming from the future. A flirt who makes sure he smiles no matter how much he'd like to cry. He's also unexpectedly shy, and speaks to girls in an attempt to work through it._

 _Though his defenses tend to be lacking, he is almost wickedly fast, and is strong enough to make good use of that speed. His style is mostly like his Aunt Kestrel's, due to being taught by her in the future._

 _A brilliant dancer, though he is mostly self-taught. There's some hints he actually inherited the Dancer's Gift from his mother, but he's never actually been tested for it. He's also a very good tactician, having learned from his father._

* * *

Author's note: Sorry for the delay on this one. I meant to have it earlier, but then May turned out to be quite the… interesting… month.

Regardless, have plot movement and two more recruits, our child char shapeshifters. Inigo being mentioned as 'fast' in his bio is due to Robin being a +Spd Avatar, meaning Inigo has a +6 modifier, the highest in the game (with these pairings). The mention that he might have the Dancer's Gift is due to his personal skill in Fates. "Your end has come" is one of Chrom's crit quotes from the game. The conversation with Tiki is a lot of exposition, but a grand deal of it has already been said, so I decided to have a bit of fun with the scene.

There is nothing in game to hint that Morgan (male or female) is faking their memory loss (if anything, it's proven that it's not faked), but I thought this would be interesting. Her turning against the group is due to her appearance in the Future Past DLC. Similarly, there is nothing in canon that hints Duma and Mila are half-Divine and half-Earth dragon. I'm adding that as an explanation for why both are shown to have power over the earth, and why Duma is described as having 'fell' magic. (There are other potential explanations, but I'm going with this.)

Celica's name is officially just Anthiese Lima (or so I am guessing, based on the whole 'Lima Dynasty' thing), but I like the idea of her incorporating 'Celica' as her middle name. It was not any part of her name prior to Mycen rescuing her.

The show of power is mostly just to give the impression that Mila and Duma are watching over Valm/Valentia, as well as give an excuse to talk a bit more about them. According to the artbook for FE15, the 'Mila Tree' is actually two trees that grew and intertwined, and it was born from the remains of both Mila and Duma. However, the Ingle is said to be Duma's Remains (outright called that in the Japanese version), so I added the whole 'here are the stories' as a further highlight of the knowledge lost from the Schism. It's never explained in-game why Tiki is on Valm, or residing in the Mila tree, so I made up an explanation.

The 'See how my mustache' line is actually from the game as a voiced line that you ONLY hear if you have Chrom fight Cervantes. Chrom's conversation with Cervantes is based off of the boss dialogue. He has a conversation with Say'ri as well, but I couldn't fit it in sadly. Messed up the flow.

Since this has been asked, I have no plans to do novelizations of Heroes or Warriors. I got my hands full as is!

Next Chapter - Interlude, Mila Tree


	35. Interlude - Mila Tree

Interlude - Mila Tree

* * *

 _We have saved Robin. We saved the Mila Tree. We found Yarne and Nah. We freed the Voice of Naga, the Lady Tiki, and so, people now flock to the Resistance, gladdened by the clear sign that Walhart was not invincible._

 _However, we all know that the worst battles are to come. So, we take what rest we can. Who knows when we'll next have a break?_

* * *

"Hey, how are you feeling, Robin?" I asked, setting down the tray I was carrying. It was just some light things for him to eat and drink, since his sleep schedule was still erratic. "And if you say 'like I was stabbed and poisoned' again, I _will_ dump ice on you."

"But that _is_ how I feel?" Robin protested, chuckling. He smiled, though, and that was all I needed to see to know he really was recovering. "I'm sure it's better than I look."

"You look like gruel that got dragged through hell." I sat beside him on the bed and poked his cheek. "I'm amazed that the leaf worked."

"Same, though honestly, I'm more curious about just what that poison was. If the leaf is the only antidote, then we might want to bring a few more with us." We'd probably do that anyway. Just in case. "But that's for another day. There's a festival today?"

"Yes, in the evening. You might be well enough to sit outside during it." I wasn't sure what it was celebrating. It could've just been celebrating life for all I knew. "Olivia's going to dance during it."

"So is Inigo! He told me, and I can't wait to see it!" He grinned and I smiled fondly at him, glad that he was excited. "Inigo and I have been talking a lot. Apparently, he and I never had long conversations." Now his grin turned a bit teasing. "It's interesting, hearing about my future self. He was apparently quite distant, like a certain someone I know."

"Well, I've never been the type to just talk to everyone, as you turned into." Really, it felt like Robin could have a conversation with anyone in the army. "I like my group of people. Keeps me from getting overly anxious."

"You say that like the Shepherds give you a lot to worry about!" He grinned when I choked on a laugh. "Yeah, I know. Just the other day, Gregor was convinced we were haunted because he kept bumping into Kellam."

"And thus scared everyone here into a tizzy." It had been amusing once we knew we were safe, but still. "Do you talk a lot about your future self?"

"Well, sometimes. Mostly it's Inigo musing how different I seem, but I also do try to piece together things…" His grin faded for a serious, hesitant look. A look that spelled trouble. "I… I think I know what happened. In the future, I mean."

"We know what happened." I frowned. "Grima happened."

"Not that. I meant…" He hesitated again and then pushed through. "I meant with Chrom. I know how he died in that future."

"You… huh?" Now I was worried. "How?"

"I… I've had strange dreams. Ever since Chrom found me. No, even before." He closed his eyes, thinking. "That dream… Chrom and I were fighting against someone. Their face was in shadow, but there was something familiar about him. I _loathed_ whoever it was, but I adored Chrom. I knew him. We were best friends."

"...That's…" I didn't know how to reply. "Where were you?"

"I don't know. It looked like… a temple? There was an altar, I think." He shook his head and looked at me. "Regardless, Chrom and I were fighting the person, just us two against him. And we managed to win. But then the person… he became like…" He gestured vaguely, trying to come up with the words. "Like a shadowy force?"

"Then what happened?"

"Well, it went after Chrom. But I pushed him out of the way, and got hit instead. I went flying… and Chrom helped me up. Told me that it would be okay. And then everything pulsed red and…" He let his hand fall. "Then I stabbed Chrom. With a blade made of thunder magic."

"You… wha…?" I felt like all the breath had been punched out of me. "You…?"

"Chrom stumbled back, bleeding profusely, reassuring me that it wasn't my fault. That it was fine. Told me to run, to get somewhere safe. And he… he fell…" Robin's voice cracked and he covered his face with his arms, tears slipping down his face. "There was a horrible laugh and I stared at my hands, feeling like I was drowning…"

"Robin…" I took his hands and squeezed them. He refused to look at me. "Oh, Robin…"

"Then I woke up. I woke up with Chrom and Lissa over me, and Chrom joking about how there were better places to take a nap than lying on the ground." He still refused to look at me, even when I reached over to wipe away the tears on his face. "And I didn't remember anything. I knew your name and Chrom's. But given everything, I have to wonder…"

"If it was an echo from the future?"

"Yeah. I mean; it wasn't long afterwards that Lucina showed up in our time, alongside the Risen. Maybe my future self was trying to send a warning. Maybe that 'meeting' was why I lost my memories. I don't know." He took a shuddering breath and finally looked at me. "But we're not _sacrifices_ , are we? Not in the way I was thinking."

"...Well, it is a sacrifice…" The words were hard to say. "But the body doesn't... necessarily... disappear."

"It's used." His eyes sharpened. "It's used by Grima."

"...Yes." I sighed. The thing I could never say, never explain. He'd figured it out. "Yes. We're Vessels. We're not quite human. We're not quite… anything, really." We couldn't even say we were like Nah, half of one world and half of another. "Tiki is perhaps the person closest to us."

"Direct relation to a draconic god."

"Yes. We even have power like hers, though since our parents were human, we don't transform or anything." I tried to think of a good comparison. "You've read the Jugdrali tales, haven't you?"

"I have… ah, of course." He nodded. "We're like Julius."

"Yes. Though you more than me." I squeezed his hands again. "Both of us are Vessels, but you were born with the Heart of Grima. Both of us have the power, but only you have the heart. That makes you a 'Perfect Vessel'. I think it means that Grima can take over you more easily, because you're most similar to him."

"You think that's what happened then?" He was now completely calm, and I wasn't sure how to feel about that. "Grima took over me and made me kill Chrom?"

"Maybe." I sighed. "Unfortunately, we're kind of at the limit of what I _do_ know. We were born as part of a thousand-year-long genetic experiment to be the Vessels of Grima, so that he might return."

"It took the Grimleal a thousand years, when it took the Loptyrians a hundred." Robin frowned, scrunching up his face. "How the hell did that work out?"

"I don't care to think about it. But, remember, Julius's conception involved getting two half-siblings to marry and have children together."

"Er… right." He fell silent again, turning away from me to stare at the 'ceiling' of the tent. "I wonder… I wonder if I should take myself off the path to remove the 'Perfect Vessel'."

"Hey, if I'm not allowed to think such thoughts, then neither are you." I poked his cheek and he smiled wanly at me. "Besides, Imperfect Vessels suffice for the Awakening. You're just better suited. Like a bronze sword versus a silver."

"...Meaning that if I die, _you_ are in more danger. And I can't have that." His smile was still wan, but it gained some warmth. "I'm your big brother, after all. Got to protect you."

"You're my older twin, damn it." I rolled my eyes and he laughed. "Regardless, I meant what I said. _If_ things can be changed, then I know this crazy group can manage it. That's as much faith as I can have, but it's also something I believe _with_ all of my faith." I squeezed his hands reassuringly. "And if things can't be changed, then we'll go together. Together, or not at all."

"...I understand." He squeezed my hands back, and his smile finally became real. "That's a promise."

"It is." I smiled wryly now. "That was not a conversation I expected to have with you."

"It's not often we're alone nowadays. I wanted to take advantage of it." He pulled me a bit closer to give me an awkward hug. "And I'm glad. I'm glad I figured it out. Because now, you're not the only one with the burden. I can take up my share of it again."

"You're not taking up _anything_ until you're recovered." Still, I kissed his forehead to let him know I appreciated it. "I'm going to get you a healer to make sure you didn't stress anything, okay? You're due for your checkup anyway."

"True." Robin smiled sweetly at me. "I love you, sister."

"Love you too, Robin."

I got him settled a bit more, and nudged the food a little closer, before I actually left, doing my best to not be weighed down by that conversation. You'd think it would be a relief to have him finally know, but it only made me feel worse, especially since, after all the time spent helping me, now _he_ was the one contemplating killing himself. Plus it reminded me that I hadn't told Chrom, and I wasn't sure if I wanted Robin to be the one to tell him or not. After all, I was Chrom's wife. I was supposed to trust him, and I did, completely. But unless someone else brought it up, I literally could not choke out the words. It was pathetic, really, and a clear reminder of how poor of a wife I was.

But I didn't want to have people try to reassure me, since I couldn't explain this, so I did my best to at least appear neutral as I walked through the camp. It seemed to work as no one stopped me, though they could've been distracted by the festival preparations, and so I made it to the infirmary tent fairly quickly and poked my head in to see who was there. It turned out that the two on duty were Maribelle and Brady. And they were talking to each other. Though Brady's frustrated face hinted that they might have been arguing not long ago.

"Oh, goodness, you really are like me," Maribelle sighed, closing her eyes. Brady's expression blanked. I awkwardly stepped inside the infirmary, wondering what to do. "Though, maybe that's a bit of Feroxi influence from Lon'qu. That can't have helped."

"The hell do you mean?" Brady demanded. He wilted at her stern look. "I mean; can you clarify?"

"Of course." She smiled bitterly. I glanced around and noticed it was just us three in the tent, which was probably why they let themselves even have this… whatever it was. Debate? Conversation? "Brady, I used to think as you do. I thought that strength alone was required to subdue violence and protect the peace. That was why I began training, in order to assist Chrom and dear Lissa with the Shepherds." She shook her head and cupped Brady's face between her hands. "But I was… well, not wrong. I merely didn't see the full picture."

"The full picture?"

"Yes, and your father could explain this much better, but you have to deal with me for the moment." Her bitter smile softened. "Gaining strength and waving a weapon about to protect the weak is an art in of itself. But the person who wields that weapon needs compassion, affection, consideration, and the willingness to become a shield. Every day must be spent renewing this resolve."

"Like Pops."

"Exactly. And like me." She laughed softly, expression softer than I had ever seen. Even when she was with Lissa. "Soon after I realized what strength truly was, I made a choice. Put a staff in my hand, instead of a blade. Healing the wounded has just as much place in a battle as felling one's foes. Mending an injury will protect the weak just as much as inflicting one." She smiled proudly at Brady. "You and I have an important job, Brady. No matter what, there will always be injured. We are the ones who protect them from death, and that is a strength in its own right."

"That's…" Brady tried to look down, but Maribelle's hands on his face prevented it. "I…"

"I pride myself in being able to support those around me, to know that they can fight their hardest, knowing that I am near to help them. I think, Brady, you have forgotten that pride, because you have seen so many die." She kissed his forehead and hugged him as Brady began crying. "So, why don't you help me for a few days? You can relearn the joy that comes with healing. I'll help you."

I watched them a bit before deciding that Brady clearly needed some sort of distraction, maybe even something that helped proved Maribelle's words. "Maribelle?" I called softly. She looked up at me curiously and I smiled. "Sorry to bother, and this can wait, but Robin needs his check-up."

"Ah, that's actually perfect timing," Maribelle murmured, smiling in return. The gratitude in her eyes told me that she was glad I changed the subject. "I'll be there with Brady in just a second."

"Of course."

I chose to just leave then, not wanting to linger awkwardly while Maribelle helped Brady calm down. I thought a bit about what to do to clear my own head before striding over to the cooking area. With the cooks busy for the festival tonight, I might as well cook lunch for the army. It would be soothing.

* * *

The cooks had protested a queen cooking for the entire army, but… well, since I felt more like myself for the first time in days, I promptly told them to shut up and either help me or move out of my way. Which no doubt startled them, because it was more than a little rude, but there was something fun about making so much food for everyone. And making sure everyone ate properly, since I knew some, like Ricken and Nowi, tried to not eat their vegetables. And making sure no one accidentally gave Panne and Yarne food they couldn't eat, because some people just didn't think about that. It resulted in a lot of running around for me, but it made me smile to move about so much.

"The food was absolutely delicious." Tiki had insisted on helping me clean the dishes after lunch was over, to the shock and near-horror of the staff. But she easily ignored them, humming as she washed the dishes and gave them to me to dry. "I have missed a nice home-cooked meal," she told me, smiling. I saw, to my amusement, that her hands were pruning, just like a human's would. It was just a little thing, and it made sense, but it still amused me. "I haven't really had one like that since I lived in the castle with Mar-Mar and Caeda."

"I'm glad you enjoyed," I replied, giggling. Everyone seemed to have enjoyed the food, which made me smile. It made me feel like I was actually being helpful. "I tried to utilize all the fruit that grows on the Mila Tree."

"I think you did marvelously." She sighed happily, licking her lips. "That fruit tart was _so_ good. I could've eaten twenty more."

"Well, then I'll have to make it again." I was particularly pleased by the tart. It had been my first time trying that particular recipe. "Ah, but while I have you here, do you mind if I ask you about something serious?"

"Of course not. Particularly since you'll make me more tart later." She winked at me, and I laughed, unable to help it. She was much more approachable than I would've expected. Much more. "What is it?"

"Um… well..." I looked around to make sure we were alone, and dropped my voice to a whisper. "Do you know how to fight a possession?"

"Hmm? Ah, I suppose that would worry you." Tiki frowned at a particularly stubborn stain on a plate before setting it off to the side to soak some more. "An actual possession can take quite a lot of power and will in order to throw off. Most are incapable of it, especially if the possessor is smart and quickly begins devouring the host's soul. There's more of a chance if the possessor purposely leaves a piece or two behind, because that gives other people something to 'latch onto'." She passed me a different plate to wipe off. "Like someone disappearing under the water, but their hand remains above the surface."

"So, if say, Grima took control over Robin or me and struck someone with a thunder spell…" I wiped the plate dry and set it to the side. "It would be too late?"

"Strike with thunder? Oh, Grima can't, and wouldn't, do that. Grima's powers doesn't incorporate thunder." She hummed a bit, passing me silverware to dry off. "I would say that would be more of a mental control."

"Oh?" ...Oh, right, of course. I was an idiot. I forgot all about that particular curse. Mental Manipulation was the signature curse of the Hierophant and High Priestess. The person Robin and Chrom fought in that future likely would've been one of the two. Hell, it could've even have been our father, since I might not have killed him in that future. "So, are there ways to resist that?"

"Oh yes, plenty. There's counterspells, for one thing. For another, if a person with a strong bond with the controlled person talks to them, that bond can be enough strength alone to break it. I've seen both. In fact, I've experienced the counterspell." She shuddered. "Gharnef controlled my mind when I was very little. Right before I met Mar-Mar. Ban-Ban saved me."

"Can the person not resist? I mean..."

"Quite so." She glanced at me. "I'm sure you have experience with that." I smiled sheepishly, nodding. I really wasn't thinking at all. "It's helpful if the spell, or catalyst, is weakened somehow. Weaker spells are easier to resist."

"That's quite true." I smiled a bit, glad I had thought to ask her. It gave me… well, it gave me a little bit more hope. "Thank you."

"Of course." She leaned into my side briefly. "I believe in you and Robin. Humans have always been masters of changing fate, and no matter what you feel, the humanity in you gives you more strength than you realize."

"...Thank you..." It… she really was like a balm. It was… well, it wasn't like having Mother again, but she did give me the same sort of comfort. "That's… I'm not sure if I believe that yet, but it's good to hear."

"Gladly." She smiled warmly at me. "I'll say it as many times as both of you need."

"My lady!" Sharply changing the serious atmosphere, Say'ri burst into the tent, looking like she had just seen Tiki and I eat raw babies for dessert. "W-what are you doing?!" she yelped, almost flailing. My neck almost hurt from the whiplash. "There is… I mean…"

"I'm washing dishes with Kestrel," Tiki replied with a bright voice and a bit of a smirk. She held up one soapy dish and shook it a bit. "Would you like to assist? I do always love spending time with you, Say'ri."

"My lady, please do not jest!" Say'ri scowled, and Tiki sighed. I frowned a bit, curious. Because with that smirk, that hadn't sounded like a joke. It half-sounded like an attempt to _flirt_ , and it going right over Say'ri's head. "And you do not need to do chores!"

"But I'm having fun." Tiki sulked a little. "You always seem to want to deprive me the joy of having because of my position."

"I… er…" Say'ri flushed, sighing loudly. "My lady, that doesn't even make sense!"

"Hey, Tiki?" I whispered, leaning in and cupping my hand around my mouth to make sure Say'ri couldn't overhear. Tiki leaned towards me curiously. "Are you attempting what I think you're attempting?"

"She is far too serious," Tiki grumbled, huffing a little. However, she smiled slightly. "But she is a very kind, very beautiful person."

"And _quite_ attractive." I grinned and Tiki giggled. "In that case… let me help, just a little." I winked and tossed my rag to Say'ri. "Good timing, Say'ri! I need to go check on my brother, but I didn't want to leave Tiki alone. You help her, okay?"

Say'ri squawked a protest, but I was already skipping out of the tent, noticing Tiki's pleased grin and laugh as I left. Of course, there was the problem of figuring out just what to do, but I soon solved that. I happened to hear a bit of humming and headed towards it, recognizing the voice as Olivia's. My wandering led me just outside the camp's boundaries, behind some of the giant roots of the Mila Tree, though I was quick to duck behind some when I realized why Olivia was humming. She was helping Inigo with a dance, and I just knew both would be horribly embarrassed if they knew I was here.

"I just can't do this," Inigo groaned, stopping the dance midstep. Olivia frowned at him, looking ready to scold him. "How is it that you can dance in front of people, Mother? All I can think is 'please, don't look'."

"Hmm? Ah, well…" Olivia began, startled. She hadn't expected that question, and she took her time to think of the answer. "Well, when I dance, I feel like a different version of myself." Olivia closed her eyes, smiling softly. "I feel like I am the best version of myself, like the heroine of my very own fairy tale. Of course, that's just a feeling and a silly one at that."

"I wish I could feel that." Inigo snatched up a waterskin and guzzled some water, making me wonder how long he'd been out here. "I don't… how do you?"

"I have been dancing since I was a little girl, so I know that I am a good dancer." She smiled warmly. "I am horribly shy and embarrassed, but when the audience cheers me on, I know that I must give them my absolute best. And that, in of itself, is confidence. The confidence to do what must be done. And you have that too, Inigo. If you want to be better at dancing, you have to learn how to apply that thinking to your dancing."

"...And if I don't know how?"

"Well, that's where mothers come in, yes?" She held out her arms and Inigo immediately jumped into the offered hug. "That all said, you've been working all morning. What do you say we wash up and then visit Robin? Your father always seems to know how to cheer you up."

"That's because Father is just so earnest." Inigo closed his eyes. "I'd like to stay in the hug a little longer."

"Of course."

I watched the two for a moment, reminded of the conversation he, Morgan, and I had before the battle. And a certain thought weaved its way into my head. Since I had nothing to do, I decided to go see just how viable it was, making my way around the perimeter of the camp to where the pegasi rested. And, apparently, the gods really wanted me to eavesdrop on my friends having close conversations with their children, because I found Sumia and Cynthia in the middle of one while they brushed their pegasi.

"I'm not all that confident really, Cynthia," Sumia was saying. Cynthia looked up at her mother adoringly, if surprised by her words. "Often,it felt like I failed at the most basic of things, and when I did succeed, it was only through luck." Despite the words, Sumia giggled. "However, there are so many things where coincidences changed our lives forever. It was happenstance, for instance, that I found my darling pegasus, and yet, if I hadn't found her, I likely wouldn't be here, surrounded by wonderful friends and married to a wonderful man. It's almost funny how something that seems to trivial has such a big impact on your life."

"Laurent calls it a 'ripple effect' or something," Cynthia eagerly added. She all but bounced on her toes, watching just how Sumia brushed her pegasus and trying to mimic it. "Like how you throw a pebble into a lake and the ripples spread out and out."

"That's a good metaphor, I think." Sumia reached over to change Cynthia's grip on the brush before returning to what she was doing. "However, your question wasn't about that. It was about my supposed confidence."

"Yep. I mean; you're an awesome hero and my role model. Just, you know…" She shrugged, smile fading slightly. "How do you…?"

"Keep it up?" Sumia kissed Cynthia's cheek. "It's because there's something I've learned over the years, Cynthia. I _am_ strong, no matter what my mind likes to try and tell me. I am strong enough to grasp the opportunities that the coincidences in my life granted me, and I desire to be strong for the sake of others. And I know that while I may not be able to take full advantage of every opportunity presented to me, I do know that I'll come close because I'll do my best. And that's another kind of strength."

"Then why do you do the flower fortunes, Mother?" Cynthia tilted her head, frowning in confusion. "I see you do them all the time."

"Hmm? Ah, that's just to give me a bit of courage." Sumia grinned. "If the fortune is good, then you work hard to keep things that way. If it's bad, then you work hard to change things. Either way, you create the future you want."

"Oh… I like that!" Cynthia grinned back. "I should do that!"

"Maybe where Frederick can't see. He's still a bit traumatized by all the petals you threw at him yesterday!"

"Oh. Right. Whoops." Cynthia looked away sheepishly and gasped when she saw me. "Oh!"

"Hmm? Ah, Kestrel!" Sumia grinned, waving me over. I grinned back and quickly did join them, ruffling Cynthia's hair. It was out of its pigtails, for once. "Want to go on a flight?"

"Fun as that sounds, I should probably be on the ground since Chrom's been in a war meeting with Basilio and Flavia since this morning," I reluctantly refused. It was fun to ride, though I'd never fly on my own. Too much pressure. "I wanted to ask you about a name I heard."

"Oh, really?" Sumia asked, now curious. She packed up her brush in her kit. "What's the name?"

"It's 'Ophecia'." I carefully ignored how Cynthia froze up, though Sumia frowned at the very obvious reaction. "I just heard it in passing, and it seemed like the conversation was talking about a pegasus."

"I wonder who was discussing her." Sumia handed her grooming kit to Cynthia. "Here, love, can you put these up for me?" Cynthia nodded quickly and seized the excuse to escape, practically tripping over her own feet in the process. "I wonder what that's about." Sumia watched her leave before shrugging and turning her attention back to me. "Anyway, yes, I do, actually. It's the name of a younger pegasus with us, an unattached pegasus brought along just in case one of the knights loses their pegasus or we get new recruits who want to learn."

"That's interesting." And that was one hell of a coincidence. Normally, I'd fret and fuss about fate, but… but maybe I should take the Sumia's approach instead. "Sorry to worry you about it. The name was pretty, so I thought I'd ask about it."

"It's fine. I'm more worried about Cynthia's reaction." Sumia sighed, shaking her head. "I'll tell Frederick about it. He's better at it." She snapped her fingers, though, and turned back to me, back to her grin. "I was meaning to find you today, though. How are you liking _Mad Tales of a Bloodthirsty Falcon Knight_?"

"It's surprisingly good, actually. Far better than I expected, truth be told" Based on the title, I expected to just be reading a lot of bloody and gory scenes, but it was actually from the point of view of a friend of the titular knight, and detailed how helpless they felt as their friend descended into madness due to her love of battle. "Are you almost done with volume two?"

"I am! I'll lend it to you once I'm finished." She giggled and looked to the two pegasi, who were happily grazing. "However, I should get these two lovelies back into their section."

"Of course. I'll talk to you later." I gave her a hug, and she hugged me back with a bright laugh before leading the pegasi away.

I immediately went looking for Morgan, finding her easily. She had been studying with Laurent near the tent Miriel and Kellam shared, but both were just chatting while they cleaned up whatever they'd been working on. I waited for the two of them to finish up before waving her over, and then made sure to lead her away from the crowds, knowing this would be something she wouldn't want people to know-know.

"Morgan, Ophecia is actually traveling with us now," I whispered to her, deciding to get right to the heart of the matter. She gasped, covering her mouth, and her eyes filled with tears. "She also doesn't have a rider. Now, granted, this is a much younger Ophecia than the one you know, but…"

"That's right… we're in the past, so… so Ophecia isn't…" Morgan stammered. Tears slipped down her face and she rubbed roughly at her eyes. "I want to see her. Please? It's okay if I'm not her rider or anything. It might be better for her. But I want to see her again…"

"Then come on." I held out my hand, and she seized it with both of hers. "Let's see if we can find her, then."

At the pegasi section, I thought about asking one of the workers about which one was Ophecia, wondering about how I'd slip that into conversation. However, Morgan apparently found her easily in the herd, walking around until she had a perfect view of one of the few black pegasi in the herd, one with a silver star on her forehead and particularly soft looking feathers on her wings. Morgan gasped again, but this time smiled happily, watching the pegasus, who had to be Ophecia, graze and play with her fellows. I smiled softly, glad that she was happy, but then I saw Ophecia raise her head and look around. And then look _right_ at Morgan. After a moment, Ophecia trotted right on over to Morgan and gently butted her chest before nuzzling her. Morgan froze, startled, but slowly began petting Ophecia with shaking hands. Ophecia's response was to press more into Morgan, as if she was saying 'mine'. 'You are mine.'

I half-wondered if she knew, somehow, that she had chosen Morgan in the future. Knew this was another chance, and if Morgan wasn't going to seize it, then _she_ would, with all four hooves. Morgan began crying again, hugging Ophecia tightly and smiling in wonder. Laughing softly, I left to get Cordelia, and then I spent a good hour or so watching Cordelia teach Morgan how to ride and fight as a pegasus knight, with Morgan eager to learn and eager for this second chance too.

It was one hell of a coincidence. It was probably fate. But in this one instance, I couldn't be mad at it. Not when Morgan smiled so, so happily.

* * *

The festival began as soon as the sun began setting, and I still had absolutely no idea just what the festival was for. I did know that it involved a lot of dancing. Not just Olivia and Inigo's shows, which went wonderfully, but also group dancing. The air was full with the scent of good food, bright laughter, and lively music. Practically everyone wore a smile on their face. It was a delight to watch, even if I was confused by it all. It was nice to see everyone enjoying themselves, and not thinking of the coming battles and the long war ahead.

However, I made sure to keep to the edges, walking around just to lessen the chances of someone finding and dragging me off. And it wasn't long before I discovered I wasn't the only one staying out of the crowd. Like me, Libra was off to the side, though unlike me, he was actually doing something: sketching. I thought he was holding the sketchbook and pencil oddly, but then I saw that Cordelia was fast asleep on his shoulder and he was doing his best to not jostle her. As I approached, I heard Cordelia sigh something like 'I love you, Libra' and saw Libra smile down at her, watching her with all the love in the world.

"You two are adorable," I murmured, making sure to keep quiet. Libra glanced up at me with a small smile before returning to his sketch. It seemed to be of the people, with a focus on their smiles. "Is Cordelia okay?"

"She's fine, just sleeping," he reassured me. I breathed a sigh of relief, worried that she'd been pushing herself too much. "She was sleepily telling me about how excited she is to teach Morgan and Cynthia how to ride properly. She and Sumia plan on working together."

"Hee… I'm glad they're having fun." I watched him sketch for a while before remembering something. "I don't think I ever thanked you for taking care of Robin."

"Taking care of people is my job, though I do still worry about how we have no idea what that poison was." His expression remained calm, though. "It makes me wonder what other unknown poisons our enemy has. We can't expect every poisoner to conveniently reveal the proper antidote."

"I wonder why she did that." The more I thought about that encounter, the less it made sense. And the more it bothered me. "Has anyone come up with an explanation?"

"Gaius and Tharja think she was simply playing. However, Frederick and Virion think there's something more to it, because nothing about her demeanor suggested 'play'. Basilio is inclined to agree. Flavia is certain the girl is 'playing', but more in the way a manipulator 'plays'." Libra shook his head. "Regardless, we shouldn't count of that again."

"Definitely not." I wondered what to say next, but then simply smiled. "Still, isn't this where we're supposed to thank the gods for good fortune or something?"

"Oh, I do that every morning, for despite all the craziness, I have truly lived a blessed life. Far warmer and happier than I ever could have dreamed." Libra smiled up at me, eyes dancing with very quiet mischief. "I could lead you in a prayer now, if you so desire, but you are not fond of the gods."

"It's not necessarily that so much as I am certain they are not very fond of _me_." Especially if I was right and the future couldn't be changed. They let us run and believe there was a way to escape and give us so much happiness… and then would take it all away in the worst way possible.

"Mmm… that is not true. At least, I do not think so." There was no mischief in his eyes now. Only simple, quiet sincerity. "I believe the gods love you dearly, my queen. However, there are times where the gods see too far and put too great a burden on those they love. I believed that to be the case with Exalt Emmeryn. I believe it now for you and Robin."

"...It's nice to hear that." It really was. But considering I was a Vessel for Grima, I still highly doubted it. "But considering everything, you'll have to forgive skepticism."

"Of course. It took me a long while to realize the gods loved me, so how can I blame another for taking a similar journey?" His smile was kind, and gentle. "But I do believe it. Remember that, at least."

"I will." Because there was a small comfort in them, even if I was sure they weren't true. "I will."

"Kes, there you are!" And Chrom appeared out of nowhere and bowed with a little flourish, firmly shattering the solemn atmosphere. "Sorry, Libra, but I'm stealing my wife for a dance or ten," he declared, taking my hand and dragging me into the crowd. I tried to protest without being too loud; I didn't want to wake up Cordelia. "Enjoy your drawing!"

"I certainly will, Your Grace," Libra replied with a laugh. Cordelia mumbled something, but curled more into Libra's side. "Have fun. She's been much too serious."

"Can't have that!" And with that we disappeared into the crowd. "About time. I've been looking for you all over the place. Even interrupted Lissa kissing Henry to ask if she's seen you."

"Chrom, I can't dance!" I hissed, already stumbling over my feet. Thankfully, no one was really paying attention, but… "Even with lessons, I can barely take two steps without trodding all over your feet! You know this!"

"As if I can pass up the chance of spending time with my wonderful wife," Chrom teased, tugging me close. The people around us were already dancing, something that was probably technically simple, but looked far too complicated for me. "Come on!"

"Don't say I didn't warn you!"

I did try to dance properly. I did. But, just as I knew would happen, I messed up badly. I stepped on Chrom's feet, though he laughed it off every time. I nearly bumped into people, but Chrom steered me away before I could. Once, my feet flat out tangled and I nearly fell, but Chrom caught me and used the momentum to swing me up in the air, to my squeak. To get revenge, I leaned down and kissed him, grinning at his blush, only to yelp as he swung me about for another dance. Because, despite all the bruises I no doubted inflicted on his toes, we did dance through quite a few songs.

During one of the slower songs, though, his cheer faded and he pulled me close, closer than needed for a dance. "We'll be marching on a fort soon," he whispered in my ear. I nodded, understanding. We would need another victory to build momentum. Without momentum, we wouldn't win this. "I worry for what trap they've set."

"I worry because we've not yet encountered Excellus," I replied softly. The so-called tactician… the one who sent assassins after my baby girls… "We need to expect something terrible."

"Something tells me it's going to be something I'd never expect." He sighed and leaned into me. "I guess we just have to push through, and find the right road."

"What's this? Guessing? From you?" Teasingly, I kissed him, smiling up at him. " _I_ am supposed to be the mopey one."

"I'm not _moping_." He scowled. "I'm…" He then grimaced and dropped his head. "No, you're right. I'm moping. I'm too tired to be prideful." He shook his head and smiled. "All right. We _will_ push through and find the road to end this war, and then return home to figure out how to deal with Grima. And we'll end the war with him and the Grimleal too."

"That's more like you." I tugged his arm, leading him out of the crowd. "Come on. I'm tired of bruising you, so let's spend some time with Lucina."

"Only if she's not busy with her friends." He took my hand, carefully intertwining our fingers together. "They can't hang on us _all_ the time."

"If she is busy with her friends, then we can spend time with ours."

"Point." He kissed my cheek. "Let's go."

Lucina wasn't busy, but actually looking for us because she wanted to share a pastry with us, a large fluffy pastry covered with custard that was a specialty of the region. It was a messy treat, but fun and sweet, and then afterwards, Lucina went to go join her friends, who were all playing games, or rather, they were all _learning_ games because they never got to play. Chrom and I, meanwhile, spent time with the Shepherds, laughing at their antics, such as Vaike and Sully starting an arm wrestling competition, and Stahl accidentally triggering a dance line alongside Donnel.

We were all determined to enjoy the night. After all, come tomorrow, we were back to war. We would have to do what we could. But I did agree with Chrom. Things were going too smoothly. There was a trick to this. The question was… what would we pay to escape the trap?

* * *

 _Notes on Morgan:_

 _Class: Pegasus Knight; Reclass - Tactician, Myrmidon, Mage, Priest_

 _Daughter of Robin and Olivia, coming from the future. Fakes having amnesia to hide how, in the future, she ended up breaking and serving Grima as one of his generals, something that haunts her._

 _Wickedly fast and magically powerful, she originally was planning on being an infantry, but gaining her pegasus leads her to pursue the path of a Dark Flier. She prefers an aerial view of the battlefield anyway._

 _Strives to be a good tactician like her father, but also has a very good singing voice like her mother. Often, she can be heard humming while she studies and quite a few soldiers will divert their paths so that they can listen._

* * *

Author's Notes: The conversations between Maribelle-Brady, Olivia-Inigo, and Sumia-Cynthia are all based off of the conversations from the Forging Bonds event in Heroes. Sumia's reason for doing flower fortunes comes up in her support conversations with Cordelia and some of her castle dialogue in Heroes (the title of the book also comes from her Heroes dialogue). Libra's sketching shows up in a few of his support conversations. Otherwise, have a nice, relatively lighthearted chapter.

Next Chapter - Inexorable Death


	36. Chapter 20) Inexorable Death

Chapter 20) Inexorable Death

* * *

 _After the festival, we march south. Tiki sees us off with a smile, but smiles are few and far between amongst ourselves as we get closer to our next battle. The target is Fort Steiger, one of the three main strongholds of Walhart's forces, alongside Chon'sin and Valm Castle itself, and it's led by Pheros, a powerful valkyrie. It's chosen primarily for how close it is, but I worry. As if that's anything new, of course, but something about all of this just seems off. There is something unsettling in the air. I could feel it in my bones and blood, and I dislike it. Because the last time I felt like this, it had been during that failed mission to save Emmeryn._

 _Who was going to die this time?_

* * *

The walls were tall, with spikes at random points to discourage climbers. Set up at random points on the top… well, they looked almost to be pots or something, no doubt filled with oil to further discourage climbers, though probably with more of an eye for ropes. Then, of course, were the more 'typical' things, like places set up perfectly for archers. Catapults. The wisps of smoke hinted they had a great deal of furnaces, so there was a chance they could use the smoke to suffocate intruders. And who knew what was actually _inside_ the place.

"I think my dear, dear brother forgets that refuge in audacity only goes so far," I sighed, leaning back against Cordelia's pegasus. Cordelia made some sort of 'listening' noise, more focused on checking her pegasus's wings. "Freaking hell, shouldn't we wait to make sure that no one is compromised? Or go after a _lesser_ fort?" That's more of what I'd expected when Chrom told me about the plan. "This is a classic example of soaring too high."

"Where did that phrase even come from?" Cordelia asked absently. I glanced back and saw her frowning over something. "I always hear it, but…"

"An old story about a craftsman and his son, who escaped their tower prison via wings made from feather and wax." I closed my eyes, remembering it. Mother had told it to Robin and me, actually. One good thing about the Grimleal is that they kept _lots_ of stories and records. "But the son flew too high, blinded by the giddiness and euphoria flying gave him, and the sun melted the wax, and thus, he plummeted into the waters below, drowning." Though the other part of it was how he had to not fly _too low_ either, lest the sea water soak the feathers and he become too heavy to fly. Mother had told us the story as an example of being careful about your limits, but to also make sure you don't _settle_.

"Well, that's a sad story." Cordelia ducked down, checking under her pegasus's wing. "I suppose they're trying to not fly too low?"

"Maybe…" Still, I couldn't help but worry. One could argue that this entire war effort was audacious in of itself, but… I couldn't help but remember the plan to 'rescue' Emmeryn, which failed at the last second due to something unexpected. Which failed because our enemies knew us, and played us well. "So, what's wrong?"

"She's moving her wing weirdly, but I can't find why."

"Want some help?"

"Er…" There was a very long pause and then she sighed heavily. "Please?"

"Of course." I couldn't help but snicker, though. "Aw, look at that! You're accepting help! I simply must tell Libra and Sumia later!"

"I'm already regretting this, my queen."

"Now, now… let's see what's wrong." I walked around Cordelia's pegasus, absently petting her neck, to join Cordelia. "And if we can't find it, we'll ask Panne. She can communicate with the animals, yes?"

"She can, indeed." Cordelia still scowled at me. "Now, if you can stop laughing?"

"Yes, yes."

We did ended up going to get Panne, and discovered the issue was a pulled wing muscle that Cordelia's pegasus was desperately trying to hide to not worry Cordelia. While Panne and Cordelia got to work on that, I left to snag a healer and one of the animal doctors to assist them. Then I wandered our base camp, watching everyone slowly prepare for the battle ahead. No sign of our illustrious leaders or anyone. They were busy discussing strategies, as typical before a battle. A bit of a shame, as I wouldn't have minded grumbling to Robin directly (or cuddling a bit with Chrom). But that was neither here nor there.

"Mother?" Lucina jogged over to me, frowning worriedly. "Is everything okay?" she asked softly, curling into herself a bit. I automatically made sure that I was standing a bit taller, and reached over to brush the hair out of her face. "I… um…" She looked down sheepishly, and I felt the blush on her face. "I heard… from the other adults… that you had been down recently, before everything happened with Uncle Robin, and now… um…"

"I take it you didn't notice because my future self was always a touch melancholic, huh?" I half-joked, smiling bitterly. I could easily imagine it, and the guilt 'I' would have felt. "I'm okay, Lucina. Just fretting over things."

"I'm sorry…"

"For what?" I sighed and pulled her into a hug, making sure to hold strong even as she leaned heavily on me. "Grima is a threat I've known about for a long while, this war is sparked by an idiot falling into all sorts of traps due to arrogance… and as for my most present worries, that's more on your dear, sweet uncle. And your father. And Flavia. And Basilio. And Say'ri."

"...Promise?" Her voice was very small. "I mean… I know I cause problems and all. All of us do. But…"

"No more than you do… did… ah, whatever the tense is… as a three month old." I pulled away just a little to make a face at her. "The number of times you tried to eat my wedding ring, for instance…"

"S-surely not!" She went bright red, all traces of hesitancies and sadness gone. "No way!"

"There's also the day you refused to settle down for a nap and I had to carry you all over the city for meetings because every time I tried to leave, you cried." Then, of course, Victoria got all weepy too, and Chrom had to carry _her_ around. "Which resulted in you trying to eat the fake flowers on one noblewoman's hat…"

"That's… um…" She turned even redder. "Um…"

"The point is, Lucina, is that children are _supposed_ to make problems for their parents. It's part of the package. Because often times, those problems result from you exploring the world, and trying to find your own path. And you stumble, fall, and your parents are right there to help patch you up. With maybe a few scoldings, depending on how dangerous things were and all." I smiled and pulled her back into a hug, letting her hide her blushing face in my shoulder. "It's also accompanied by joy, Lucina. The joy of seeing what a wonderful young woman you are, and continue to grow into. The relief at seeing you laugh and have fun, slowly healing from what you suffered in your time." I kissed her head. "You're just fine, Lucina. You've enough to fret about, you know."

"I… I suppose…" She clung to my shirt with one hand. "But…"

"Not another apology." I thought of what Maribelle once told me, way back when we were in the desert, marching to save Emmeryn. "Try to turn your apologies into something else. Instead of saying 'I am sorry for causing trouble', why not say 'thank you for caring about me'?"

"...I'll try, Mother…" She leaned into me, seeking warmth and comfort. "Um… so… thank you, for caring about me?"

"I always have, Lucina, ever since you first smiled at me as a little baby. And I always will, no matter how old you get." I patted her back and laughed a little. "Here, why don't you walk with me for a bit? Wander the camp until you have to triple-check your preparations."

"Okay…!"

The two of us walked around a bit, and the other children took that as permission to approach for little things, like reassurances and hugs. Before long, though, they had to leave to make sure they were ready for what had to be one of the most reckless battles we ever fought. I made sure to keep up the smiles and only sighed when I was sure they weren't around. Then I headed to where 'our' camp met with the 'rebels' camp, mostly to check on them. On the way, though, I saw Virion and Cherche chatting next to Minerva, with Minerva holding her wing above them as if to shield them. Virion pretended to be hit by some sort of verbal 'dagger', staggering back, and Cherche snickered, smiling brightly. Before long, Virion smiled softly at her, and then left to go deal with something. Cherche continued smiling and giggling, watching him leave with a very fond look. And I really should've just ignored it as I typically did, since it wasn't my business, but…

"Cherche?" I called. She glanced at me and waved me over, still smiling, though it wasn't quite as soft or anything. "Hey, I'm sorry to be nosy and all…" I hesitated, not sure how to continue, but I did my best to hide it by petting Minerva's nose. "But… well… with the children showing up from the future and all…"

"Virion and me?" she filled in knowingly. I could only smile sheepishly in response, kicking myself for this. This wasn't my business at all, and I was just being annoying, but… "Well, you did bring up a good worry…" She reached under her collar to produce a necklace I'd never noticed her wearing. Dangling from the chain was a simply elegant ring. An engagement ring, really. "Sometimes, the quickest way to an alliance is through beds and pillow talk, which is easier to do if there's nothing _official_. And I have so much fun watching him squirm." She giggled, and I had to smile. "It's a game we've long played. We've been very close for quite some time." Her good mood faded for sadness, though, as she continued studying the ring, watching how the gems sparkled in the light. "I was thinking about ending the game when we heard about Cassandra. She was always so excited about the thought…"

"...I imagine both of you had to heal a bit too."

"Yes, quite. And there's new things to adapt to." She shrugged, and smiled softly again, tucking the necklace under her collar once more. "I know his question. He knows my answer. For us, it is enough. When we are home again, we'll do things proper." She made a face then, though. "I imagine a child showing up will make it so much harder to draw out the game. Ah, well. I'll just have Minerva play a bit."

"I see." I smiled, but ducked my head, still petting Minerva to hide it. Minerva let me, tucking her head under my hand so that I could rub the scales by her eyes. I guess she liked being pet and scratched there or something? "Again, sorry to be nosy."

"Considering how much you seem to worry, about everything, I think I should only be surprised that the question hasn't come up sooner." She giggled, and I looked away, mortified. I mean; she wasn't _wrong_ or anything. But it was still a little… "But no telling anyone, okay? It's rather fun watching everyone 'subtly' try to ask."

"Or ask point blank?"

"That too." She snapped her fingers then and hunted through her pockets for something. "Ah, but you can do a favor for me? If that's all right, Queen Kestrel."

"Since I just asked a very personal question? Of course."

"Thank you!" She produced a very pretty ring from her pocket and handed it over. I held it up to the light to study it, thinking there was something familiar about it. "I found that not far from here, actually. I picked it up, thinking that the chain had snapped, but…"

"I haven't heard of any of ours missing a ring, so it's probably one of the rebels." And here I was, planning on checking on them. Why did coincidences have to rule my life? "I'll try to find the owner before the battle."

"That reminds me. I need to double-check where my darling Minerva is going to be during this escapade of ours." She began leading Minerva away. "Come along, dear Minerva. We'll have snack time afterwards."

"Please make sure she cleans up this time? The remains of her last snack gave some of the soldiers quite the scare." And then Henry and Tharja debated what parts they could use for curses until Nowi transformed, charred the meat, and ate it. "Until later."

I started back down the path, heading towards the rebel camp. Along the way, I saw some scouts and people just walking to ease their nerves, and I asked them about the ring. No one recognized it, though, so I kept on walking. At least, until someone yelled at me.

"That's mine!" The voice was interesting. Haughty, but in that 'I am so tired but damn if anyone will know it' way. Authoritative, but also very young, like they were using it as a mask. Masks upon masks, really. The girl _with_ that voice matched her tone perfectly, glaring and holding herself tall, while also making sure her hooded cloak completely hid her. "Why do you have it?" she demanded, holding her hand out. Her very long pigtails, a beautiful blonde color, almost blocked her, though. "Oh, whatever. Give it back."

"A friend of mine found it, and mistook it for hers," I explained. I hid it behind my back, and crouched down to look the girl in the face. The shadows of her hood hid her expression somewhat, but I did see the relief and sadness in her eyes. "...It really is yours, huh?" I held it out to her, and she snatched it quickly. "Congratulations?"

"It's… it was my mother's. Her wedding ring." She cradled it briefly in her hands before tucking it into her pocket. "All I got left of her, since she chose her stupid old crush over me."

"Did she?" That sounded… I wasn't sure. Somehow, I was just sure it was more complicated than that. But, then again, the only thing 'simple' in my life _was_ my parents. Mother did her best by Robin and me. My father was an asshole who was being devoured by maggots, thankfully. "I'm sorry you have to deal with that pain." Without thinking about it, I rested my hand on her head, to stroke her hair. But the hood kind of stopped that. "Ah, but I'm being rude. I'm-"

"...Queen Kestrel of Ylisse, right?" She looked down, not making eye contact at all. But she didn't bat my hand away either. "I think even the dead know who you are."

"Aha… you'd think I'd be used to that, huh?" Still, I didn't think I was all that special or anything. No matter… "What's your name?"

"Severa."

"It's nice to meet you, Severa." I ended up patting her head, and smiled at her. "I'm glad Cherche found your ring."

"...I'll try to find and thank her later. I guess." And she left abruptly, without saying anything else.

Though I was a little annoyed by the rudeness, I knew I'd done much worse in the past, so I shrugged it off and went walking among the rebel camp proper, speaking to people and reading their mood. That was when I noticed something very… odd. Many of them were fidgety, and while it could simply be pre-battle nerves… the winces and flinches I saw out of the corner of my eye suggested something else. Did they disapprove of me? Did they dislike that there were outsiders involving themselves in 'their' war? Or was it something a little more sinister? The questions gnawed on me and, despite my resolve, I found myself returning to the Shepherds' camp, desperate to hide.

"Your majesty?" However, someone called for me from behind, and I turned to see it was one of the rebels. "Here," they whispered, pushing something into my hand. A quick look showed it was a small piece of paper, carefully folded. "East. Remember."

"Pardon?" I asked. But they were gone in an instance, rushing back to their own camp. "What the…?" Anxiety gnawing at my stomach, I went to lean against a nearby tree and carefully unfolded the paper. And the words, written in crisp and neat handwriting, made my blood run cold.

' _Excellus has hooked his fangs into the rebels. Be careful and remember the direction you are told.'_ Signed by a 'Berenice', a name I vaguely remembered Say'ri mentioning. This… this wasn't good…

"There you are!" Not even Basilio's boisterous voice could lift the dread that had settled like a shroud over my shoulders. "Got Chrom all mopey because he can't find you," he teased, laughing. However, he dropped the cheer as soon as he saw my expression. "What happened?"

"Here," I whispered shakily, passing him the note. I clasped my hands together to hide their shaking, cursing. Stupid. It had been stupid to just let them do this without… "I don't know how truthful it is, but…"

"Well, shit. I was hoping I was imagining the bad feeling." He groaned and handed me back the paper. "And we're too deep to shift things down, damn it all."

"I'm sorry." I knew this had been stupid. Why didn't I say anything? "I…"

"Easy, easy." He rested his hand on my shoulder. "We'll figure out something."

"I hope so." I folded the piece of paper into a tiny square before tucking it in my pocket. "I really hope so."

This was going to end in failure, wasn't it? Damn it all.

* * *

The plan, ultimately, turned into something all too familiar. 'Surgical strike to the heart', Say'ri described it. Otherwise known as 'Shepherds slip inside and assassinate, except we don't do it quietly, and we rile all the inner guards up while the general gets set up'. It was also called 'this is far too similar to the plan to save Emmeryn for my comfort'. Though, thankfully, it wasn't exactly the same. I just…

"You keep getting distracted, dear Kestrel," Virion noted, counting his arrows. Though my combat abilities were slowly coming back, I had requested to continue guard duty for the moment and, thus, was assigned to Tharja and Virion. "Is everything well?"

"Just me fretting," I sighed, sheathing my sword and reaching back to redo my ponytail. It had fallen out, so my hair stuck uncomfortably to my face and neck. "So, nothing unusual." I glanced over at Tharja, who was poking at some of the bodies. "I think the question should be directed to Tharja."

"Quite true. Tharja?" Virion frowned at the arrows, and looked around curiously. Without thinking about it, I grabbed one corpse's quiver and passed it to him. "Thank you, my dear."

"No problem, Virion." Ponytail back in place, I walked over to Tharja, who continued her poking. "Tharja?"

"Henry made a mention of something and I decided to take a look myself," she explained, barely acknowledging me otherwise. She continued frowning. "Rather tempted to see if I could make them speak."

"Er… can that be done?" I asked. I knew curses, and curses could do some weird things, but… uh… "I mean… dead is dead. Bringing back the dead… sure, there's stories of staves, but they're only stories."

"It's not 'bringing back', so much as 'temporarily connecting to them'. It's something Henry was working on before he got bored and decided to just work on summoning Risens and whatnot." She sighed, and I mentally panicked a little. Didn't need _more_ Risen, thank you! Especially right now! ...Though, the lack of them was also… ugh… "I can practically hear your mind flailing in circles."

"I'm sorry."

"Just be a dragon and slaughter everything. No one will care." She poked the body again and I tried to not squirm. If Grima… "Anyway, I'd have to complete the spell first. But we could get information that way."

"I don't think we have the time for that," Virion pointed out. I was glad he did, since I was far too uncomfortable to even think about replying. "Ah, Panne! Rare of you to come visit the covering lines!"

"A giant rabbit doesn't exactly suit the stealth you employ," Panne replied, walking over. She had blood matted in her fur and smeared across the leather-armor-garb she wore, but otherwise, she seemed fine. "That said, you don't seem busy."

"A breather, dear Panne. And checking my arrows." Virion frowned, and I nudged Tharja to stand up. "But I fear you have not come by for a chat and tea."

"No." Her voice was surprisingly flat. "My apologies for the curtness. I am annoyed at myself. My time with you Shepherds almost made me forget the true nature of manspawn. That you all are the _exception_." Her eyes were narrowed and she held herself stiffly. The bits of fur she had were puffed out a bit, making her seem just a little bit larger. "It's the rebels. Our supposed allies. I smelled their fear and thought it was only for the battle. But now I know what it is, for I smell _betrayal_."

"...Ah…"

"So, that _is_ what's going on," I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. I'd hoped otherwise, but… "Panne, have you told anyone else?"

"No, not yet," she replied. Her tone continued to be flat, but she did relax when Tharja walked over to (awkwardly) pat her on the shoulder. "You were closest, Kestrel, so I came to you first."

"Okay." Meaning I had to think quickly. Damn it. "Can you find Flavia and Basilio in this mess?"

"Easily. I believe Yarne is with their group as well."

"Good. Then get to them and tell them to report to Robin." I sighed and looked to Virion. "You go get Say'ri and tell her the same. Tharja?" I then turned to her. "Inform Robin about what's going on, please. And I'll get Chrom." I smiled slightly, deciding to make a joke. Despite how my stomach was gnawing on itself from fear. "He knows to listen to me when I'm mad."

To my relief, that did get a bit of laughter and the sound helped ease my nerves enough so that I could rush through the battlefield and look for Chrom. It took a while, mostly because of _where_ he was. Right with the general in the very back room. Because of course he was.

"You know… once, I followed your exalted sister," Pheros was saying when I finally made it to the room. She and Chrom were in a standoff, her with a tome and him with Falchion. Neither so much as twitched. "Made a pilgrimage all the way to Ylisstol to hear her one of her speeches. Such vibrant words, they were." She spoke softly, and with a smile. It was a good memory for her. "She could truly paint a picture with just a few tones and inflections, and when she spoke, the concept of peace and prosperity didn't seem so far away. She made Naga and the Earth Mother, who I grew up believing in, seem real."

"...Many do look to Ylisstol in such a fashion, due to the blood-bond we have with Naga," Chrom whispered. I could tell by how stiffly he held himself that he was uncomfortable with the idea. "More so before my father's 'war'. But regardless, you abandoned that faith."

"Yes, I did, for I have no use for invisible spirits." Her smile became proud and her eyes shone with a feverish light. "I serve a god among men now, and he will do what no religion could do. Unite the people."

"In opposition to him, perhaps." Chrom scowled, his voice dropping to a growl. "Who willingly follows a tyrant?"

"Thinking plays no part in it. In words and deeds, a great leader takes hold of the heart, not the mind. Your sister had the same gift." She rested a hand on her chest. Chrom tightened his grip on Falchion. I felt my own temper spike. "Even now, I remember her words, and I know there are many who live by her poetry. Yourself among them, I'm sure. But I have found a greater voice."

"This sounds like fated nonsense, and I made a promise to my wife that we'd change fate."

"Speaking of your wife?" I called, interrupting. Chrom whirled, startled to see me, while Pheros simply regarded me curiously. "Chrom, you need to get to Robin. Now." I shook my head when he tried to say something. " _Now."_ He hesitated before nodding, kissing me quickly before leaving. "That man… sometimes, I swear…"

"You married quite the naive man, Queen Kestrel of Ylisse," Pheros noted, with a little chuckle. The worst part was that she seemed genuinely amused. "Who goes waltzing up to an enemy general to try and talk to them?"

"Emmeryn would've, and Chrom is careful to follow her path. Ylisse cannot suffer another tyrannical ruler. Their father proved the dangers of that." I shrugged, feigning a confidence I didn't really feel. "Now, I can't say I'm quite as merciful. I'd love to ask a question or two, but we both know this is going to end with one of dead. Neither of us will yield."

"Quite true." She brought her tome up, and I guessed based on the color and design that it was a Bolganone tome. "So, I suppose I can indulge, since you read be so well. What is your question?"

"Once Walhart conquers everything, what happens next?" I waited, but she seemed genuinely surprised by the question. "What happens? How will he rule? Managing an army and winning a war are not the same thing as ruling a country. Does he plan on simply crushing all who oppose?" I scoffed. "People are assassinated for lesser reasons. History shows us what happens when a tyrant rules. They fall, and their memory is bemirsched for the few days its recalled."

"I am sure… there is a plan…"

"And you and yours follow without knowing that plan?" I could barely keep from rolling my eyes. "You said a 'good leader' seizes the heart, not the mind? That's clearly obvious. Because otherwise, my questions of 'what comes after' would yield actually answers instead of dumbfounded stares." I glared, incensed now. "You only care for bloodshed! For pain! You have no desire to rule, only to satisfy a childish wish to 'be the strongest'! As if strength is defined by power alone!"

"When people refuse to walk along the path, you have to drag them, or push them aside."

"That doesn't even properly respond, but considering you and yours sent assassins after _babies_ , I shouldn't expect anything about you to make sense to me!" I was so incredibly pissed off now. "And another thing… don't you _dare_ compare Walhart and Emmeryn. Emmeryn sacrificed almost _everything_ to help her people heal and rule her people well. She sacrificed her childhood, her chances at loves and friendships, even her own life." Tears pricked my eyes as I remembered Emmeryn and that one tea we had. One of the few times I ever saw Emmeryn 'the woman', instead of Emmeryn 'the Exalt'. "She wasn't perfect. I'd be the first to admit that. But she did the best that she knew how, and worked tirelessly not only for her own people, but for her neighbors." I snarled at Pheros, livid. "Until he has sacrificed and worked even half as hard as Emmeryn, don't you _dare_ compare her that overgrown child who plays at war and ruling!"

"Tch…!" Pheros gestured sharply, fire swirling around her. "Enough of this nonsense! Prepare to be pushed aside!"

"As if you have the strength." I drew my sword, all fear gone. I was only _furious_. "I'm the queen. I'll show you true conquering, before you die."

Pheros threw fire at me. I rolled out of the way, popping back to my feet to charge her. I knew that if I could just get close, I had her. Like most magic users, she didn't wear armor and stood her ground to keep herself stable. However, she was very skilled and knew her weaknesses well. When she noticed she missed, she whipped the fire about to strike the ground by my feet, cracking the stone floor and sending shrapnel everywhere. More than a few embedded in my arms and legs, and I had to do a cartwheel in order to avoid the next strike. Unfortunately, she seemed to predict that, because I ended up landing _right_ where the third spell erupted from the ground. I grit my teeth as the fire burned my skin and the force of the spell ripped the shrapnel right out of me, sending blood everywhere. But since I didn't have to worry about dodging, I charged forward, right through her guard. Blue-black flames wrapped around my blade as I rammed it through her, and the fire ripped through her abdomen, leaving feather-shaped burns on her chest.

"Well… didn't think you'd just charge like that…" she coughed out. Her tome thumped to the ground and she sagged onto me. I braced myself against her, waiting for a knife or spell. "My mistake… but oh well…" She chuckled, blood spilling down her chin. More pooled at our feet, coating my hands. "I may not see Walhart unify the people… but I've seen it in my dreams… and that is enough…"

"Good, because the only place his unification would work is in dreams and fantasies," I whispered. I ripped my sword out through her side and pushed her off of me. She hit the ground with a dull 'splat', and I had to cough when the tell-tale smell of a gut wound filled the air, along with the smell of death. "Ugh… never get used to gut wounds." So, I stepped out into the hall, since in the hall there was _only_ the smell of death, and then I walked to some nearby curtains to wipe the excess blood off my hands and sword. I didn't want my grip to slip.

"My queen!" Around the time I finished cleaning my hands, Cordelia rushed up, splattered with more blood than usual. Then again, since we were fighting inside, she hadn't been fighting on her pegasus. "There you are," she breathed, noticeably relieved. "Quickly, we have to-"

"Was it assassins, literal stabs to the back, or trap?" I asked, sheathing my sword. I closed my eyes briefly before turning to look at her. "The rebels, I mean."

"For now, trap. It seems like they are reluctant, which we can possibly use." She didn't seem surprised I already knew. "I don't know if that's changed, though. When I saw what was going on, I immediately came to find you. I am, technically, your guard."

"More than 'technically', and I'm glad for it." I grimaced and looked at the patches of burns all over me. "Swear the only reason I'm standing and not crying is because I've been through worse pain."

"Dare I ask?"

"Giving birth to twins." I grinned and she burst into laughter. "More seriously, I do want to avoid a lecture from the healers, so it's probably best I not fight anymore if it can be avoided."

"I'll keep you safe."

"You always do."

Cordelia led me through the halls easily, no doubt having memorized the layout prior to the battle. A couple of enemies ambushed us along the way, but Cordelia easily dispatched them, letting me focus more on walking, since I ached horribly now. Because I focused more on walking, though, I nearly yelped when she suddenly threw a lance up, towards the rafters. It took a few blinks to realize that there was a person crouched up there, but when I did, I wasn't surprised at all to see it was Bellona. Cordelia's glare showed she wasn't surprised either.

"You're near us _again_?" she demanded, kicking another lance into her hand. I glanced down and saw bodies all around us. Didn't even notice. "Get any good information, spying?"

"I'm an _assassin_ ," Bellona corrected with great dignity. She moved so that she was sitting on the rafter, bracing one leg against it while letting the other kick through the air. "Walhart doesn't do spies. He barely does assassins, and that's only because he's got an appreciation to the skill it takes to be so sneaky."

"You're not spying, and you're not killing, so…" Cordelia glared before scoffing, clearly unamused. "Are you just following us out of boredom?"

"Well, you're certainly more interesting that Excellus. Only so many times you can watch someone threaten to torture a three-year-old before you start contemplating bashing your own skull in." She shrugged, but I couldn't help but glare, even as my stomach turned. "Don't think you've had the displeasure of meeting him in person yet, have you? Not surprised. Smug worm that thinks he's a snake, and a _dangerous_ snake at that… he's only brave when his victims are so much weaker than him."

"If you hate Walhart's group so much…"

"Think I said this a few times before, but at the moment, I don't have _allies_. I have _goals_." She sighed gustily, but I frowned, wondering why she clarified it with 'at the moment'. "Whatever. I just thought you'd like to know that Excellus _is_ here in the fort. Dealing with two… uncooperative… fighters." She snickered, grinning like a child. "Thought you might enjoy the show."

"The torture, you mean?"

"No, the 'Excellus gets his ass handed to him'. Idiot thought meekness meant weak." She was definitely amused. "He'll probably retreat before dying, but should be fun until that point."

"While also getting us to two warriors Excellus hasn't…" I whispered, thinking quickly. If we could manage it, we could actually kill him now, but if that proved too difficult… hmm… "So, where would we find this show?"

"Just listen for 'blood and thunder'," she answered easily, still giggling a little. She pushed herself up to stand, brushing off her pants. "Trust me. You'll find them." Then she disappeared into the shadows, content with giving her message.

"She is one of the weirdest people I've met, and considering the Shepherds, that is saying something." I poked Cordelia's cheek, partly to get her attention and partly to get her to stop glaring. She was definitely annoyed. "Say, where's Tharja and Henry?"

"Henry was helping move the wounded, but I think Tharja is…" Cordelia began, frowning. Her eyes lit up, though, when she caught my thought. "Oh. Let's just go get her. This way."

It didn't take long at all to find Tharja and convince her to come along. In fact, I barely got the words 'hey, so apparently Excellus is near' before she agreed! From there, though, was trying to find the man who sent assassins after my baby girls _and_ took hostages and tortured people. Still, the three of us debated just what Bellona mean by 'listen for blood and thunder'. Had that been a creative way to say 'sounds of battle' or-?

"BLOOD AND THUNDER!" At the sudden shout echoing down the halls, the three of us stopped briefly before focusing on finding the source of the noise. "YOU DARE TRY TO TAKE ME HOSTAGE?! I AM THE FIRE AND THE FURY!" I'd thought Bellona had been metaphorical, but apparently not. "REPENT, SCUM! REPENT, THOUGH IT WILL NOT SAVE YOU! REPENT AND DESPAIR!" And the shouts were followed by a maniacal laughter not unlike Tharja's.

"Less shouting and more shooting, Noire!" That voice was quieter, but snappier, and it was familiar for some reason. "Before the guy decides to take a puppy hostage instead!" The scolding was followed by more maniacal laughter. "And tone down the laughing! You're going to break something!"

Right about then, we slid around the corner, with me almost falling, and I saw two girls attacking an… interesting… looking man wearing robes. And honestly, the girls were handling themselves just fine, with one being a swordsman who kept close and the other being an archer who made controlled Excellus's movements. No wonder Bellona had mentioned it being 'a show'. Still, it was a 'fast' show, with the girls moving very quickly. Too quickly to safely jump in and cut Excellus's head off. But that just meant going for our 'plan B'.

The familiar spike of dark magic made me tense automatically, and Cordelia wrapped a reassuring arm around my shoulders. Tharja, meanwhile, whispered and muttered under her breath, breathing life into the shadows. After thinking a moment, I checked my arm, noticing a bit of bleeding, and hesitantly offered the blood there to Tharja. She glanced at me with noticeable shock, but nodded, and shifted her focus to using the blood. It burned and bubbled on my skin, and Cordelia frowned, but simply kept on holding onto me.

Then Tharja let the curse loose, black-red marks circling on the back of Excellus's neck. Then they pulsed and Excellus screamed in shock and pain. He left quickly, no doubt thinking that he'd taken some mortal blow. But… well…

"So, what was that?" Cordelia asked, looking to Tharja. I leaned into Cordelia's side a bit, simultaneously feeling ill (because curses), curious (because I actually didn't know either), and gleeful (because Excellus was afraid). "What type of curse, I mean."

"Withering curse. Quite potent," Tharja giggled, grinning evilly. She was definitely pleased by the success. "Slowly but surely, he'll fall apart. Muscles will atrophy. Skin will wrinkle and stretch. Hair will fall out in clumps. Teeth will dislodge with a simple sneeze. The eyes will shrivel…"

"And he'll be alive through it?"

"Oh, yes, every single second of it. Until it finally spreads to his organs, and turns them into rotting lumps inside his own body." She shrugged, and absently dusted off her tome. "The whole process would take… oh, depends a bit on the resistance to magic. I've little doubts we'll kill him before it gets to that point, but it's good for him to experience terror."

"Wow, I'm glad you're on our side." Cordelia smiled slightly, a bit awkward, and quickly turned her attention to the girls. "Ah, hello! Everyone okay?"

Giggling at the obvious subject change, I turned my attention to the girls as well, intending on helping with the conversation. However, I quickly noticed a few things. One, the swordsman was Severa. Two, the archer had the same colored hair as Gaius. And three, now that they were side-by-side, I could see the strong resemblance between Severa and Cordelia. And based on how things had been before, and how Severa and the archer were staring at Cordelia and Tharja… well…

"I'm going to make sure Chrom and Robin aren't being completely stupid," I murmured, patting both on the back. Tharja frowned at me, but Cordelia smiled shakily. She probably made the connection too, while Tharja was still on a bit of a rush from the successful curse. "I am always available to listen. Remember that, okay?" And then I left because there was no reason for me to linger and watch awkward mother-daughter talks. I had enough on my own for that. And, based on seeing Lucina and Chrom 'arguing' when I did find Chrom and Robin, I had a feeling here would be some more later tonight.

However, I frowned when I saw that Flavia and Basilio _weren't_ with them, though Say'ri was talking to Robin. Confused, I looked around and just barely caught sight of them rushing down the corridor. I opened my mouth to call for them, but Basilio paused and looked back. He looked much more serious than normal, so I simply smiled and waved. He smiled back, just slightly, and nodded before jogging to catch up with Flavia. I had no idea what was going on, but if I had to guess, the two were going to serve as a distraction. Which meant…

"We need to head east," I declared, turning to look at Chrom, Lucina, Robin, and Say'ri. All four stared back with various degrees of surprise and confusion on their face. I, however, knew there wasn't much time at his point. The note had said to remember the direction I was told, so… "We're heading east. Now."

I knew things were going to go wrong. I just knew it.

* * *

Just as I figured, the 'guards' to the east barely even gave a token effort to stop us from escaping, allowing us to get far away from the fort and to relative safety. Along the way, I learned that Walhart himself was leading some forces towards the fort, so Flavia and Basilio were leading a small group to play distraction. Spending lives to buy the rest time. I knew Robin was hating himself for the decision, not the least because Basilio was among the group and Olivia considered Basilio to be like a father to her. But that was their own discussion, kept in the privacy of their tent, and intruding just because of my own worries was simply selfishness. Besides, Lucina needed me.

"I told him that he'd die, but he just kept on _going_ ," she said dully. She was laying in my lap, with me stroking her hair, while she relayed to me what happened while I was with Cordelia and Tharja. "Why? Why would he do that?"

"Basilio isn't the type to fear death, Lucina," I whispered, looking around her tent curiously. Cynthia's stuff wasn't here anymore, making me wonder if one of the two new ones would share with Lucina now. The children definitely kept to themselves when they weren't with their parents and, to my relief, most of the non-Lucina children didn't cling to me as much as they did before. "He's probably flirted with death so much that death is making wedding plans."

"Well, it looks like death will get that wedding." She sighed, curling up in my lap a little more, and it broke my heart to see her so morose. Though I did spare a thought being glad that Maribelle and Lissa got me all healed up, because otherwise, this might be painful. "Can we really change the future? Aunt Emmeryn died, despite my efforts. Basilio is rushing off to his death, despite me _telling him_. How else do I change things? How else can I?" She reached out and took my free hand, clinging to it tightly with both of hers. "I want a happy ending. Or even a bittersweet one, if it's a bit more 'sweet' than 'bitter'. But how do I…?"

"...You keep walking, Lucina, and paying attention to the path." I had no idea what to say or do. I still didn't believe things could change. I just hoped I was wrong, since I was wrong about so many things. "If you think you're walking a poor one, change paths." 'Change paths'... ha, if Robin and I hadn't joined the Shepherds, we still would've been running. I wondered how we ended up joining, in Lucina's time, since _that_ Robin hadn't lost his memories. "Or you could emulate your father and charge forward recklessly. I'm quite used to the heart attacks."

"But…"

"Oh, brother, I just _knew_ you'd be moping." A pair of packs were thrown into the tent before Severa stepped inside, looking annoyed. "Man, I _hate_ being the optimist, but you make me have to be one," she complained, pulling things out of the pack. I guessed she was sharing with Lucina now. So, Cynthia must be sharing with… Noire, I believed I heard on the way here? Tharja and Gaius's daughter. "Ignoring how things are already different and focused way too much on what's the same."

"And just what is different?" Lucina asked, still dully. She didn't move from my lap, and Severa rolled her eyes. "Remind me."

"Say'ri is alive, for one thing. Don't you remember the stories? Say'ri was dead _long_ before the thing in Valm happened." Severa sighed gustily and crawled over to prod Lucina in the head repeatedly. I frowned at that little tidbit of information, wondering just why that would be different. "Gawds, we need to find Victoria as soon as possible. You're always gloomy when she's not around. Well, gloomier."

"I am _not_ gloomy!" Lucina sat up, scowling. "I'm just-"

"Oh, please. You're always going on about fate and how things must change and all that boring stuff. Totally ruining your pretty face." Severa pulled a bit of Lucina's hair, and her eyes widened. "But not your hair, for once. Wow, I think this is the first time I've grabbed it and it didn't feel like a cactus had a child with bark."

"I suppose you'd be the expert on cacti, given how prickly you can be."

"Yeah, yeah. Seriously, your hair is all soft!" Severa moved to sit behind Lucina, running her hands through her hair. "Not quite silky-soft, but on the way. Good, good. You can't rely on your natural beauty _all_ the time, Lucina."

"I don't… wait, you're changing the subject!" Lucina huffed and glowered at Severa over her shoulder. "As I was saying, I am not-!" By that point, I couldn't help but giggle, and poor Lucina looked immediately mortified. "Oh, I'm sorry, Mother. I…"

"I'm simply happy you two are such good friends," I reassured. After all, Severa was Cordelia's daughter, and Cordelia was one of my dearest friends. "But it _is_ getting late. How about I braid your hair for sleep? Severa, would you like me to braid yours as well?"

"Huh? I… uh…" Severa stammered. She looked away, blushing a little. Lucina giggled, amused now. "Sure. I guess. If you want."

"Then let's find a brush and some hair ties."

After brushing and braiding both Lucina and Severa's hair, I left them to get settled for sleep and walked around camp, trying to get a feel for morale. It was, sadly, low, but thankfully not anywhere near as bad as it had been after Emmeryn's death. I did see Maribelle and Brady fussing over Lon'qu, while Donnel kept Gregor busy with dozens of questions that Nah listened in on curiously. Everyone else was simply doing what they could to wind down for the evening, knowing that nothing could be solved if we were too tired to do anything when morning came.

However, there was one person not preparing for bed. Say'ri, who stood noticeably apart from us, staring forlornly at the night sky. She glanced over at me when I approached, but returned her attention to the stars. After a moment, she whispered, "when our parents died, I was inconsolable. In an effort to help me, Yen'fey told me to look at the stars. To see their tranquility and mimic it. I always learned best by example." She sighed heavily and closed her eyes. "I think this is the first time the trick hasn't worked to calm my heart."

"Considering how well things were going, we knew there had to be a trick at some point," I pointed out, stepping to her side to look up at the stars too. Tranquility, huh? I'd never heard that one before. "And we _did_ kill one of Walhart's generals."

"That is… true. And we did, temporarily, take Steiger, I suppose." She smiled bitterly, opening her eyes to look at me. "I did always want to unite the groups. Guess I succeeded."

"Now you're sounding like me." I shook my head and patted her back. Briefly, I wondered how old Say'ri actually was, but that didn't really matter, for the moment. "Think of how they barely fought us, Say'ri. They only turned out of fear."

"Fear of losing, and fear of what will happen to their families." She looked down, clenching her fists by her side. "I was foolish to think Lady Tiki's presence alone would give them hope. She has always been a light in my life, but I shouldn't have expected her to have the same effect on others."

"People can't gather around one thing alone. Fear is powerful." I knew that well. "But… that doesn't mean you should lose all hope." I leaned down a bit so that I could catch her eye. "It is possible to be hopeful and afraid. I imagine the two often coexist."

"Do you think this can be salvaged, then?"

"Is a single loss going to shake you so? Now, after all this time?" I poked her cheek, and she chuckled, nodding as she accepted the rebuke. "You're tired. Get some sleep. You'll feel more capable in the morning, when it doesn't feel like you've cliffs tied to your limbs."

"I… no, you are right. I am being a child, insisting on pushing out of self-pity." She took a deep breath, held it, and then slowly released it. "Running full sprint when exhausted will simply result in falling and breaking bones."

"And other things the healers with scold you over."

"That too." She looked back at the stars before turning away and returning to camp. "Thank you, Queen Kestrel."

"Glad I could help."

I walked Say'ri to her tent, mostly to make sure she did actually get to bed. Then I wandered the camp a little more, just to make sure no one else was staying awake. I worried briefly when I saw Frederick awake, but Sumia quickly ran over to drape a blanket over them, and the brief bits of conversation I heard hinted Frederick was simply on watch. So, I walked on, eventually making it to my own tent. Inside, I found Chrom already there, dressed in his sleeping clothes and laying on the blankets with his arms crossed over his face. He remained perfectly still and silent as I changed into my nightgown and braided my hair back, so when I was done, I decided to tickle him. He had a lot of ticklish spots, after all.

"Kes, mercy!" he laughed, trying to squirm away. I giggled and pretended to debate before relenting. "Wasn't expecting that!"

"Punishment for not even smiling at your wife when she came in," I teased. I sat back on my heels briefly before swinging my legs around to sit more comfortably. "So, worried about the distraction group?"

"Worried about a lot of things." He wiped at his eyes and pushed himself up so that he was sitting too. "But I was actually fretting over Robin."

"Because Robin had to give the order?"

"No, we share that blame." He sighed and absently played with the strands by my face. "No, it's just… he hasn't looked me in the eye in a while."

"Oh?"

"Yes, ever since we marched out. He tries to hide it, but I've noticed." He leaned forward to kiss me briefly, absently. "So, I'm wondering what I did."

"Hmm…" I briefly wondered what it might be before realizing it instantly. Guilt. Guilt, because he figured out what would happen in the future, and… "Ah…"

"So, I _did_ do something." He smiled wryly. "Well, can you tell me? Must've put my foot in my mouth again."

"W-well…" My mouth and throat went dry from fear. This was… "Um…"

"Yikes, that bad?" He grimaced and made to stand. "Well, he's with Olivia, but if it's that bad, then maybe…"

"Wait!" I snagged his hand, looking down. This… I had to tell him. I had to. I didn't want him to hear it from Robin. I wanted him to hear from _me_. "I…"

"You're shaking…" He turned his hand so that he could hold mine, and he rested his other hand on my shoulder. "Kes, what's-"

"Grima." I managed to at least blurt that out. "It has to do with… um…"

"Kes, you don't-"

"Yes, I do. I've _been_ had to say this." I ground my teeth, swearing I heard them creak. "What have I told you so far? Sacrifices, right? Robin and I are of Grima's blood and we can be sacrificed to bring him back."

"Yes, you've told me that." He spoke very softly. "It's why you…"

"Chrom, haven't you wondered why it's Robin and me? And not our parents?" Silence was the only reply. "It's because we… um…" Made it this far. Just had to choke out the rest. "We…"

"...Do you have an analogy?" Chrom pulled me close and gently began rubbing my back. His other hand still held mine. "Maybe that'll help."

"An… an analogy?" My mind immediately jumped to one. "Julius. From the Jugdrali tales."

"Julius, huh? Now, to piece that…" He trailed off, stiffening as he figured it out. I could only continue looking down, terrified to see his expression. His reaction. "You're _vessels_."

"Yes." And that was when the tears came. "Robin is a… a 'perfect' Vessel. So, Grima would want his body by preference, but mine can work too. In a pinch. But what happened… with Grima returning… it's like the Awakening ritual, but…"

"For Grima, instead of Naga." He tried to tilt my head up, but I refused. "Kes…" His fingers trailed up my cheek, catching the tears I shed. "So, when Grima rises, you lose Robin."

"And you. And _everyone_." My voice definitely cracked then, and I was bawling. "If fate has its way, I lose both of you at the same time, and then everyone else dies one by one, because I'm stuck as regent and they go off to battle…!"

"Kes."

"And I should've said something sooner, about Robin and me not technically being even human, because we're _Vessels_ instead and that's where a lot of our oddities come from and-"

"Certainly explains your beauty." Chrom's voice was light, and both the tone and words startled me enough to jerk my head up. And he smiled so softly at me before kissing me fiercely. I only didn't fall back because he held me up. "I think the rest I'll hear from Robin." He kissed my tears away, and though I automatically leaned into him, I couldn't help but be surprised. "Probably best."

"Probably…" I could only stare. "Chrom?"

"What? I fell in love with you. Not your heritage." He kissed me again before reaching for his pack and pulling out a handkerchief. "Here."

"Thank you…" Taking the handkerchief from him, I blew my nose and coughed a bit. "But, I mean…"

"Kes, I love you. I love you for being a kind, wonderful person. And don't try to say you're not. I have your heart, remember?" He found another handkerchief and helped me clean up my face. "Just as you have mine."

"...Yes, that's true…" I had no idea what to feel. "This isn't quite like accepting everyone's quirks, you know."

"Kes, literally the only thing that I didn't know was that you and Robin didn't have your throats slit on an altar. And that you were left behind by everyone." He kissed my forehead before taking the handkerchiefs and tossing them into the pile of dirty clothes in the corner. "And none of it changes that I married a very wonderful woman, and I am forever lucky to have her near."

"Chrom…" I smiled tentatively before quickly laying down to hide my face in the pillow. "Well, now I feel ridiculous."

"Why would you? You've spent your whole life running from that." He leaned over me and kissed the back of my shoulder. Right where my Brand was. "It takes courage to stop running away, you know." He pulled the blankets over us and laid down next to me. "Truly, I'm very lucky to have you in my life."

"No, I think this conversation proves that… wait, no, we're just going to go in circles." I rolled my eyes and snuggled up against him. "It is so freaking cold once night falls. We need more blankets."

"And something to warm your feet, dear." He grinned at me. "They're like ice. I should move away until the blanket warms them."

"Noooo…!" I held onto him tightly, 'trapping' him. "You're my warmth! You're not allowed to move!" When he playfully tried to pull away, I rolled us both over so that I was laying on top of him. "Are you really going to be so mean to your wife? The mother of your children?"

" _I'm_ the mean one? You're trying to freeze my legs!"

The two of us continued bantering like that until we couldn't stay awake anymore. Then I, at least, fell into a dreamless sleep, feeling strangely at peace, given everything. Maybe all the hopeful talks were starting to have an affect on me. And maybe the sun would rise in the west and the mountains would dance a waltz. Seemed equally likely to me.

* * *

 _Notes on Brady:_

 _Class - Priest; Reclass - Cavalier, Mage, Myrmidon, Thief, Wyvern Rider_

 _The son of Maribelle and Lon'qu, coming from the future. He spent quite a bit of his youth in Ferox, resulting in his unique way of speaking but he's also a master in most noble pursuits due to Maribelle's influence. He's best with tea and violin. Especially violin._

 _To his chagrin, he isn't the strongest person by any means, with poor health to match. However, his skill and speed are nearly unmatched, both traits that are incredibly valuable to a healer. Slowly, he's re-learning that isn't a bad thing, nor is being a healer 'weak'._

 _More than a little of his 'improper' appearance actually is on purpose, with him hunching over to converse better with children and make himself appear less threatening, and his distinctive hair to help people identify him quickly in a crowd. The toughness is also a mask to hide how sensitive he is._

* * *

Author's note: Ha… been a while, much longer than I originally planned. Sorry about that. Combination of some demanding 'reviews'/messages and me genuinely losing track of time. Anyway, though. Have some foreshadowing, and two more child chars. (And I'm sorry for any shakiness in writing… it's been a while since I had Kestrel's voice in my head...)

The story Kestrel references in her talk with Cordelia is the tale of Icarus (while bringing in the part most people forget, the warning about flying _too low_ ). Chrom and Pheros's conversation is their boss convo from the game. Say'ri being dead in the bad future comes from Yen'fey's spotpass chapter. Severa and Lucina don't really interact in game, having only a convo in the Hot Springs Scramble DLC, but… well… *shrug* I like the idea of them having a strong friendship? Aha? The idea of a withering curse comes from Noire's paralogue, actually, and Noire's 'first lines' are from there as well.

Now, in game, the army actually escapes to the south, and we roll right into fighting Yen'fey. However, we're taking a little detour.

Next Chapter - Wings of Justice (Paralogue… nine, I believe?)


End file.
